Progress in application of phase-change materials to cooling clothing

Exposure to high temperature and humidity for a long time in the hot weather of summer can easily cause a sharp increase in the core temperature of the human body, resulting in an imbalance of the heat-regulation function, which can result in heat stroke, shock, or even death. As a type of latent-heat-storage material with a small volume and a large capacity, phase-change materials achieve good performance in absorbing latent heat in clothing. Phase-change materials are often included in clothing to reduce the temperature and humidity of the clothing microenvironment and effectively alleviate the heat-stress phenomenon of the human body in high temperature and high humidity environments, as well as to improve the thermal comfort of the wearer. In this review, we summarize the factors that need to be considered when selecting a phase-change material for phase-change cooling clothing from three aspects: the phase-change temperature, phase-change form, and composition. The effects of the melting temperature, heat storage and thermal conductivity of phase-change material, phase-change material dosage and covering area and location of the phase-change material on the heat-dissipation performance of phase-change cooling clothing are summarized. The methods for using phase-change materials to reduce the temperature and humidity of the microenvironment inside clothing are summarized, and the research directions for improving the lifetime of phase-change materials, accelerating activation of failed phase-change materials, and construction of personal portable equipment with cooling and dehumidification functions are discussed.