https://j.people.com.cn/n3/2026/0702/c95952-20473418.html

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-68951-x

A research team led by Professor Zou Ruqiang of Peking University succeeded in weaving “air conditioning” directly into fabric using specially designed fibers. Garments made from this material can reportedly maintain a surface temperature 7–8°C lower than standard polyester vests.

The garments are made from phase-change materials (PCMs). PCMs enable “smart temperature regulation” by utilizing the property that a substance’s temperature remains constant during a phase change. A phase change refers to a shift in a substance’s state—such as water turning into ice or ice melting into water. While large amounts of heat are released or absorbed during this process, the temperature itself does not change. To this end, the research team incorporated trace amounts of carbon nanotubes into conventional fiber materials to serve as high-speed heat-transfer pathways with excellent thermal conductivity. Furthermore, they constructed a three-dimensional interpenetrating polymer network and precisely encapsulated small phase-change molecules within it. This design ensures that the molecules do not leak out even when they melt into a liquid state, while simultaneously enhancing the material’s flexibility. The high-performance phase-change material created through this design offers high thermal storage efficiency and excellent toughness and strength, while remaining fully compatible with existing commercial textile equipment. It can also be seamlessly integrated into processes such as cutting, sewing, and weaving, suggesting a promising path toward industrialization.

To verify the material’s “air-conditioning” effect, the team created a prototype vest and conducted comparative tests against a standard polyester vest in an outdoor summer environment. The results showed that while the surface temperature of the polyester vest rose to approximately 50°C, the “phase-change vest” remained at 42°C. The material also demonstrated excellent heat-absorbing buffering and thermal insulation capabilities in high-temperature indoor environments.