Polyethylene textiles with engineered features that provide for passive cooling and manufacture thereof

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to textiles that are optimized to maximize moisture wicking and evaporative performance thereof. In some embodiments, raw polyethylene (PE) powder can be extruded into fibers that can be modified by oxidation along a surface thereof to increase hydrophilicity of the surface. Once sufficiently oxidized, the fibers can be bundled to form multi-filament yarns that can then be spun, weaved, knitted, and/or otherwise associated with one another to form a polyethylene fabric. The PE fibers can be further modified to increase a capillary force of the bundle, thereby further increasing hydrophilicity of the resulting fabric. Engineering of the capillary force can be performed by optimizing one or more of a fiber size, a density, or a cross-section of the fibers and/or the bundles. The resultant fabric can exhibit a strong weight reduction, stain resistance, and drying capabilities, among other capabilities.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hydrophilic fabric, comprising:
 at least one of multi-filament yarns comprising polyethylene or continuous fibers comprising polyethylene, the at least one of multi-filament yarns comprising polyethylene or continuous fibers comprising polyethylene being at least one of spun, woven, or knitted together to form the fabric,   wherein the at least one of the multi-filament yarns comprising polyethylene or the continuous fibers comprising polyethylene have a modified surface that causes the respective yarns and/or fibers to be at least partially-hydrophilic,   wherein the continuous fibers are aligned substantially in parallel with respect to each other, and   wherein the fabric is devoid of non-polyethylene yarns and non-polyethylene fibers that mechanically reinforce the fabric.   
     
     
         2 . The hydrophilic fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the modified surface comprises at least one of a changed fiber size, a changed fiber density, or a changed cross-section of the at least one of multi-filament yarns comprising polyethylene or continuous fibers comprising polyethylene. 
     
     
         3 . The hydrophilic fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of multi-filament yarns comprising polyethylene or continuous fibers comprising polyethylene comprises a pattern arrangement thereof having at least one of a regular triangular arrangement or a square arrangement. 
     
     
         4 . The hydrophilic fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric is devoid of a coating disposed on the at least one of multi-filament yarns comprising polyethylene or continuous fibers comprising polyethylene to make the polyethylene more hydrophilic. 
     
     
         5 . The hydrophilic fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric has a thickness approximately in the range of about 300 microns to about 1000 microns, and
 wherein a thermal conductivity of the continuous fibers comprising the fabric is approximately in the range of about 0.1 Watts per meter Kelvin to about 60 Watts per meter Kelvin.   
     
     
         6 . The hydrophilic fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the polyethylene comprises at least one of low-density polyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene, medium-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, low molecular weight polyethylene, or ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene. 
     
     
         7 . The hydrophilic fabric of  claim 1 , wherein an exposed surface thereof is hydrophilic and a portion of the fabric below the exposed surface is hydrophobic. 
     
     
         8 . The hydrophilic fabric of  claim 1 , wherein a fiber crystallinity of the fabric is approximately in the range of about 50% to about 100%. 
     
     
         9 . The hydrophilic fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric has a thickness approximately in the range of about 300 microns to about 1000 microns. 
     
     
         10 . The hydrophilic fabric of  claim 1 , wherein a water-fiber contact angle of the hydrophilic fabric is approximately in the range of about 50 degrees to about 80 degrees. 
     
     
         11 . A method of manufacturing a fabric, comprising:
 extruding one or more continuous fibers comprising polyethylene;   modifying a surface energy of the one or more continuous fibers comprising polyethylene to change a hydrophilicity thereof;   bundling the one or more continuous fibers to form a plurality of yarns; and   one or more of spinning, weaving, or knitting one or more yarns of the plurality of yarns with another yarn of the plurality of yarns to form the fabric.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein modifying a surface energy of the one or more continuous fibers increases the hydrophilicity thereof without either applying a coating thereto or reinforcing the fabric with at least one of non-polyethylene yarns or non-polyethylene fibers. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein modifying a surface energy of the one or more continuous fibers comprising polyethylene further comprises at least partially oxidizing a surface of the one or more continuous fibers comprising polyethylene. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising adjusting at least one of a weight fraction, a size, or a drawing ratio of at least one of the one or more continuous fibers comprising polyethylene. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein bundling the one or more continuous fibers further comprises arranging the one or more continuous fibers substantially in parallel to optimize capillary action through the plurality of yarns. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein modifying a surface energy of the one or more continuous fibers further comprises adjusting at least one of one or more of a fiber size, a density, or a cross-section of the one or more continuous fibers or one or more of a size, a density, or a cross section of the bundled one or more continuous fibers. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising optimizing a chain orientation and crystallinity of the one or more continuous fibers comprising polyethylene. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein optimizing the chain orientation and crystallinity of the one or more continuous fibers comprising polyethylene further comprises post-treating the one or more initially extruded continuous fibers comprising polyethylene. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising coloring the one or more continuous fibers by at least one of dry-coloring or spin-dying the one or more continuous fibers with one or more of an organic colorant or an inorganic colorant. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising restoring hydrophilicity to the fabric by exposing the surface of the one or more continuous fibers to one or more of an oxygen plasma treatment, ultraviolet radiation, or friction.