Abstract and Materials

Abstract

This study investigates the thermal resistance of synthetic insulators (PrimaLoft, 3M Thinsulate, and Climashield APEX) used in winter outerwear, specifically comparing their performance in relaxed and compressed states. Using a methodology with ASTM C518 standards, I found the heat flux and temperature differentials of the materials to calculate thermal resistivity across 60 trials.

Findings:

1. Relaxed State - Thinsulate and PrimaLoft demonstrated the highest thermal resistance, with no statistically significant difference between them, while Climashield performed significantly worse.

2. Compressed state - Under a pressure of 0.1 kg/cm^2, 3M Thinsulate significantly outperformed PrimaLoft and Climashield. 

3. Relative loss - All materials experienced a roughly 95% loss in resistivity when compressed. However, PrimaLoft showed the greatest vulnerability to compression, making it better suited for low-stress environments, where the structural integrity of Climashield and microfiber density of Thinsulate provide better utility for high-activity applications like gloves, boots, or athletic jackets.

This research shows that the "best" insulator depends on the application, highlighting the role of ability to resist mechanical compression in maintaining human thermal comfort during use.

Materials

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