PCM Suit Proposal (1) (1)Phase – Changing Material Suit
Sanbir R., Jade T., Nathan K., Mubdi S., Carl E.
Writing for Engineering
The City College of New York
December 10th, 2018
Phase-Changing Material Suit 2
Abstract
Phase-changing material (PCM) absorbs heat from the surroundings and releases it in
the form of latent heat. A method of weaving PCM into fabrics has been utilized to create a
wetsuit that is comfortable to wear and controls body temperature based on the environment.
Various fabrics such as nylon, denim, and latex have been experimented with and are known to
work with PCM. The final suits will cost $400 for the rubber version, $800 for the stretch denim
version, and $1100 for the nylon version. The suit is designed with many promising capabilities
and mass production will begin soon.
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Table of Contents
Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………………………..2
I. Introduction……………………………………………………………………………….……..4
II. Objectives……………………………………………………………………………………….5
III. Plan of Action………………………………………………………………….……………….6
A. Design
B. Fibers
IV. Management Plan…………………………………………………………….……………….7
V. Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………….……..8
VI. References………………………………………………………………………..…………….9
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I. Introduction
The PCM material absorbs and releases thermal energy in an efficient way. When a PCM
is solid, it absorbs heat until it equals the environment’s temperature. Once it reaches the melting
point, the PCM will melt and thus change its phase to liquid. Conversely, when PCM is at a
liquid state, it releases heat in the form of latent heat. The PCM in the fiber change phases
according to the temperature of the human body (Lotens, p.1, n.d.).
The way the PCM absorbs and conserves heat depends on the air that is trapped in and
on the clothing. The PCM changes phase depending on the heat quality of the surroundings. A
technique called bi-component melt spinning allowed for PCMs to be integrated into fibers
(CORDIS, p.1, 2011). The fibers can be knitted and woven into various fabrics such as nylon
and denim. Fabrics retain their thermal properties after wash cycles and prevent leakage of PCM
to the environment.
Figure 1: PCM bubbles surrounded by Figure 2: PCM bubbles weaved into fabrics
clothing fibers (Lipol, 2016) on a microscopic level (Lipol, 2016)
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As a fabric gets thicker, the vapor resistance of the fabric increases proportionally. Since
the PCM material would be woven into fabrics in microscopic capsules, the problem of
insulation would be circumvented. PCM could be placed into virtually any fiber, thick or thin,
and result in the same level of insulation. Since the PCM suit covers the whole body, it would
create the maximum insulation by distributing latent heat energy throughout the body.
Figure 3: Relationship between fabric thickness Figure 4: Total insulation resulting from
and vapor resistance for fabrics. (Lotens, n.d.) distribution of heat. (Lotens, n.d.)
II.Objective
The PCM suit’s main goal is to introduce a piece of clothing that can be worn throughout
the year, in any environment while maintaining body temperature. The suit is designed to be
comfortable enough to be worn either as an undergarment or an outfit itself. In efforts to remain
eco-friendly, the suit will be offered in different clothing fibers. PCM promises to conserve and
release heat in response to the consumer’s body temperature within the PCM suit and to
hopefully establish a temperature regulated clothing brand.
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III. Plan of Action
A. Design
The basic design of PCM suit will be like a wetsuit with bubble wrap. The cloth will
consist of 2 layers, where the inner layer will be the layer that contains phase-changing materials.
The layer will have microscopic capsules that contain PCM. The outer layer will be made out of
one of the 3 fibers, nylon/spandex, stretch denim or rubber/latex. The main purpose of the outer
layer is to prevent PCM to interact with the environment and protect the capsules from being
damaged. Furthermore, these capsules will restrict the movements of the material and isolate
them for even distribution throughout the suit. If the phase-changing material is present in a
single layer, the material can slide and get concentrated towards the bottom of the suit due to
gravitational force. Also, because the physical state shifts, the layer can be destroyed due to
change in volume. For these kinds of reasons, the material has to be separated into microscopic
capsules.
B. Fibers
Nylon/Spandex
The benefits of using nylon/spandex include elasticity and the freedom to move
throughout various daily tasks. It is a lightweight material and resists damage from most oils that
the consumers may come across. However, nylon can melt if exposed to very high temperatures.
In addition, washing can cause “piling” of the fabric as it is too thin.
Stretch Denim
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Stretch denim is relatively durable enough to protect the PCM bubbles. It would also
contain about 2% of elastane making the material easy to move around in. Since it is a thick
material, it may limit the user’s speed. It can also shrink when dried improperly.
Rubber/Latex
Rubber is strong enough to protect the bubbles and is a more natural fiber. It provides the
most stretch out of all the fibers listed. However, it comes at a cost of comfort and many people
have latex allergies which can result in mild skin rashes.
IV. Management Plan
The PCM suit will come in three options for consumers. As shown in the Production slide
of our PCM Suit Powerpoint, the cheapest option will be the rubber suit, the medium option will
be the suit made of stretch denim, and the most expensive suit will be made of nylon/spandex
fabric. Our ideal hope is to have the suit mass manufactured by laborers in a factory who will
sew the layers fabrics and fibers together. These laborers won’t need any special qualifications,
we will provide ample instruction on putting together the suit.
Without a prototype handy, we can’t say how many pounds of PCM material are required
for the suit, and without speaking to a manufacturer, it’s hard to get a quote for labor/production
costs. However, we can make an early estimate for the average costs for a suit’s fabric material.
According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average man is
about 5’9.1” tall, and the average woman about 5’3.7” tall (CDC). Averaging this to about 5’6.4”
per person, and taking into account wingspan, we estimate that we’ll need an average of 11 feet
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of fabric per suit. Rubber PCM suit materials will cost $5.28 per suit, the stretch denim material
will cost $27.39, and the nylon/spandex material will come out to $32.89 per suit.
Keeping in mind that we don’t have a quote for manufacturing, and that the suit will
utilize state-of-the-art technology and dynamics, we estimate the final prices that the PCM suits
will sell for are about $400 for the rubber suit, $800 for the stretch denim suit, and $1100 for the
nylon/spandex suit. With the state-of-the-art technology and the usefulness of the PCM Suit’s
function, consumers will understand these are fair prices, and for our interests, they will also turn
in a sufficient profit.
V. Conclusion
PCM was founded by undergraduate engineering students attending the Grove School of
Engineering at City College. Given that the students are freshly educated with the chemical
aspects of PCM, the design of the suit will grant a more promising function. That is to say, all
possible mishaps with the smart cloth were initially taken into consideration when designing the
suit. In addition, there were several techniques proposed by the engineers, where the most
effective was chosen. Also given that this suit is their first engineering proposal, they are more
passionate about the functionality rather than the business. The suit has promising capabilities
and we hope that one day it will be mass produced for all consumers to buy.
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VI. References
Alibaba. (2018). Rubber Fabric For Sewing / Nylon Rubber Coated Fabric / Fabric Backed
Rubber – Buy Neoprene Textile Fabric,Neoprene Fabric Roll,Rubber Fabric For Sewing
Product on Alibaba.com. Retrieved from
https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/rubber-fabric-for-sewing-nylon-rubber_6076916
7433.html?spm=a2700.7724857.normalList.26.52bffb6dDde5LA
Alibaba. (2018). Sodium Sulphate Decahydrate – Buy Sodium Sulphate,Glaubers Salt/sodium
Sulfate,Sodium Sulphate/mirabililte Product on Alibaba.com. Retrieved from
https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Sodium-Sulphate-Decahydrate_60751755004.ht
ml?spm=a2700.7724857.normalList.2.d57c36ba93PzPo&s=p
CDC, N. (2018). FastStats. Retrieved from
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/body-measurements.htm
CORDIS. (2011, March 29). Smart fibres for body temperature regulation | Result In Brief.
Retrieved December 3, 2018, from https://cordis.europa.eu/result/rcn/86417_en.html
Direct, F. (2018). Matte Milliskin Tricot. Retrieved from
https://www.fabricwholesaledirect.com/collections/nylon-spandex-fabrics/products/matte
-milliskin-tricot-fabric?variant=47382750732
Direct, F. (2018). Stretch Bull Denim (10 oz). Retrieved from
Stretch Bull Denim (10 oz)
331922547
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GoldStarTool. (2018). Zippers – Lightweight Nylon #3 Coil Zipper – GoldStarTool.com.
Retrieved from https://goldstartool.com/Zippers-Coil-size_3.html
Lipol, L. S. (2016, November 17). Characterization of the PCM fibers. Retrieved December 3,
2018, from https://www.textiletoday.com.bd/characterization-pcm-fibers
Lotens, W. A. (n.d.). Heat Exchange Through Clothing. Retrieved December 3, 2018, from
http://www.iloencyclopaedia.org/part-vi-16255/heat-and-cold/76-42-heat-and-cold/heat-e
xchange-through-clothing
Lotus, M. (2006, August 09). Latex or Lycra? Facts behind the fibers. Retrieved December 3,
2018, from https://organicclothing.blogs.com/my_weblog/2006/08/latex_or_lycra_.html

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