Electrospun ITO/PAN Nanofiber Mat for Infrared Reflection and Thermal Insulation

The heat release of ambient temperature objects (0–100 °C) is often in the form of mid- to far-infrared radiation outward (∼4000 to 200 cm–1). In order to maintain warm objects, it is theoretically feasible to construct a kind of flexible material with infrared reflection ability targeting the band of mid- to far-infrared. In this paper, we proposed a type of nanofiber mat with excellent infrared reflection and thermal insulation performance. The ITO nanoclusters were introduced into the polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers via the electrospinning technique. The performed experimental test proved that the infrared reflection ability of the nanofiber mat can be enhanced because of the increased diameter of nanofiber upon the introduction of the ITO nanocluster as well as the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effects of ITO nanoclusters in the mid- to far-infrared range. It worth mentioning that the prepared nanofiber mat showed good air-permeability and mechanical properties due to the PAN matrix. Moreover, the performed experiments and numerical simulation analysis also suggested improved infrared reflection performance with respect to the size of aggregated ITO nanoclusters and their LSPR coupling effects in the nanofiber mat. The performed thermal insulation tests also indicated that the electrospun ITO/PAN nanofiber mat is promising for the thermal insulation of ambient temperature objects via IR radiation regulation.