Foaming Microcellular Fibers by <scp> ScCO ₂ </scp> and Application in Fabric/Textile

ABSTRACT Foam fibers have garnered significant attention due to their small diameters, which necessitate extremely small cell diameters and high cell densities to preserve the tensile properties of the fibers. Their unique thermal insulation properties present considerable potential in fabric/textile, effectively managing human thermal comfort. Currently, the utilization of supercritical carbon dioxide (ScCO 2 ) as a blowing agent for the preparation of microcellular foam fibers has emerged as a prominent research direction. The work elucidates the mechanism of fiber foaming using ScCO 2 and examines the factors influencing fiber foaming. It reviews the research on the preparation of microcellular foam fibers through both autoclave and extrusion techniques, summarizing the characteristics of pore morphology. Furthermore, in the realm of fabrics produced from foamed fibers, and the latest research progress is reviewed, highlighting the thermal comfort management effects of various foamed fabrics. The article identifies the challenges and difficulties encountered in the preparation of microporous and nanoscale cell fibers, as well as the development potential in fabric/textile.