Switchable water-transport cotton fabrics prepared by mist polymerization for moisture and thermal management

Adaptive moisture and thermal management cotton fabrics can maintain human physiological comfort without requiring space heating or cooling, aligning with the goals of sustainable development, carbon neutrality, and carbon peak. However, the moisture and thermal management performance and wearing comfort of cotton fabrics require further study. In this study, mist polymerization technology and the “grafting through” polymerization method were used to graft poly[2-(2-methoxyethoxy) ethoxyethyl methacrylate] (PMEO2MA) onto the inner surface of cotton fabric and poly[ N,N -dimethyl(methacryloylethyl)ammonium propane sulfonate] (PDMAPS) onto the outer surface. The reversible wetting properties of both surfaces impart the fabric with excellent moisture and thermal management capabilities. The treated fabric reduces skin temperature by approximately 5.0 °C within 8 min when worn at 31.0 °C and increases skin temperature by around 3.0 °C–4.0 °C within 8 min when worn at 9.5 °C. This fabric, capable of rapidly managing moisture and thermal conditions in a short duration, exhibits considerable potential for application in harsh and demanding environments.