SBIR Phase I: Second Skin: 3D Microfluidics-Enabled Fabric for Perspiration Management

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力包括开发下一代高性能面料，用于使用3D微流体去除和管理人体上的汗液。该项目的开发使高度透气、轻便且永不饱和的服装和织物产品能够在广泛的现实世界应用中实现受控湿度管理。在可预见的将来，它可以应用于专业运动员和高强度运动的运动服，仓库工人的高湿度防护服，以及极端工作条件下的特殊服装(如宇航员、消防员、士兵和矿工)，对性能和安全都有贡献。重要的是，3D微流控面料可以以合理的成本制造，并在高性能服装市场上以具有竞争力的价格出售，与现有产品相比具有巨大的优势，毛利至少可以达到50%。该项目旨在解决目前湿气管理面料的问题，这些面料利用长期存在的毛细吸收原理，在大汗淋漓时表现不佳。在高强度的体力活动中，织物被水分浸透，会导致身体不适、过热和疲劳。提出的3D微流控织物解决了这一问题，它利用嵌入的微通道将汗水快速引导和排出皮肤到所需的位置，同时保持休息区干燥和透气。将进行这种织物的工业可扩展制造的研究，与传统产品相比，其在大汗液管理方面的性能表征，以及用于人体验证的穿着试验。预计在第一阶段完成后，可用于制造的3D微流控织物原型将在大汗淋漓的情况下更加透气、更轻、更干燥和更舒适。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project includes the development of a next-generation high-performance fabric for removing and managing perspiration on human body using 3D microfluidics. The development of this project enables highly breathable, lightweight, and never-saturated apparels and fabric products targeted at controlled moisture management in a wide range of real-world applications. In the foreseeable future, it can be applied to sports apparel for professional athletes and intensive exercises, high-humidity protective clothing for warehouse workers, and special garments for extreme working conditions (e.g., astronauts, firefighters, soldiers, and miners), contributing to both performance and safety aspects. Importantly, the 3D microfluidics-enabled fabric can be manufactured at a reasonable cost and sold for a competitive price in the high-performance apparel market with enormous advantages over the existing products, where the gross profit can be at least 50%.This project aims at solving the current problems of moisture-management fabric which utilizes the long-standing principle of capillary absorption and performs poorly during heavy perspiration. The saturation of the fabric by moisture lead to uncomfortableness, overheat and fatigue of body in intensive physical activities. The proposed 3D microfluidic fabric solves this problem by rapidly directing and removing the sweat from skin to desired locations using embedded microchannels, while maintaining the rest area dry and gas-permeable. Research will be conducted on the industrial scalable manufacture of this fabric, characterization of its performance in heavy perspiration management compared with conventional products and wear trials for validation on human body. A functional manufacturing-ready prototype of the 3D microfluidic-enabled fabric that is more vapor permeable, lightweight, dry and comfortable under heavy perspiration is expected upon the completion of Phase I.