Hierarchical Structural Engineering of Programmable Moisture-Responsive Polyurethane for Adaptive Flap Textiles with Rapid Actuation and Efficient Thermal-Moisture Management

Dynamic thermal-moisture management is crucial for alleviating the “wet-cling” discomfort and heat stress during vigorous activity. However, achieving massive macroscopic deformation, rapid actuation, and intrinsic flexibility simultaneously remains challenging for smart textiles. Herein, a hierarchical structural engineering strategy utilizes a programmable moisture-responsive polyurethane to develop an adaptive moisture-responsive flap textile (MRFT). By optimizing hydrophilic soft segments and leveraging strong endogenous adhesion, the resulting moisture-responsive textile achieves an optimal mechanical-actuation balance, rapidly bending 140° within 40 s. It demonstrates exceptional interfacial durability, maintaining reversible actuation across 100 standard wash cycles. The integrated MRFT features asymmetric flaps that autonomously open under high humidity to create macroscopic ventilation pathways. This yields an outstanding water vapor transmission rate of 278.9 g m − 2 h − 1 and a minimal wet adhesion force of 1.07 cN. The MRFT efficiently dissipated heat and sweat, reducing microclimate temperature by 3.3°C and relative humidity by 39.1% versus commercial cotton during human exercise trials. This self‑regulating strategy effectively overcomes the inherent limitations of conventional textiles in sweat wicking and moisture permeability, establishing a robust paradigm for next‑generation intelligent athletic apparel.