An artificial fibre that mimics polar bear fur has been made into a sweater that is said to be as warm as down feather but without its thickness, but not everyone is convinced by the researchers’ claims
By James Woodford
21 December 2023
Polar bear fur keeps the animals warm in Arctic temperatures
Thorsten Milse/robertharding/Alamy
A fibre that is said to mimic polar bear fur may one day feature in the next generation of space suits, military uniforms and clothing for extreme cold environments.
Under the direction of its creators at Zhejiang University, China, the artificial fibre has already been made into a sweater that is claimed to be as warm as down feather, which is among the best-known natural insulators, but is only a fraction of its thickness.
Writing in a paper, the team makes claims about the sweater’s strength and stretchability, but not everyone is convinced that sufficient data has been presented to back these up.
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Hao Bai, a team member, says polar bear fur is made up of a highly porous core with a dense shell. “The porous structure traps a large amount of air to insulate heat transfer and the dense shell provides the mechanical strength of the hair,” he says.
The artificial textile, on the other hand, consists of an “aero gel” – a material with low density, high porosity and a large air content (above 90 per cent by volume) – encased in a rubberised exterior.