The Basque centre is working on new flexible materials for applications in wearables, smart textiles, health, personal mobility and advanced thermal management.
The clothing of the future could do much more than protect us from the cold or heat. It could intelligently regulate temperature, adapt more effectively to the environment and even store thermal energy directly within the fabric itself. This is the objective CIC energiGUNE, the Basque centre specialising in energy storage and conversion, is working towards through the development of new flexible materials with applications in sport, health, personal mobility and flexible electronics.
The key lies in transforming the fabric itself into a functional material. Unlike traditional solutions based on rigid elements or external electrical systems, these new developments make it possible to integrate thermal management capabilities directly into fibres and flexible films, while maintaining comfort, lightness and ergonomics.
“We are moving from garments that simply provide insulation to much smarter and more adaptable textiles. The idea is for technology to stop being perceived as an added element and instead become a natural part of the material itself,” explains Mikel Duran, researcher at CIC energiGUNE in the field of thermal storage.
This type of solution could be applied to technical and sportswear capable of maintaining a more stable temperature, garments for extreme conditions, or textile systems aimed at health and wellbeing. In addition, these materials make it possible to reduce dependence on active electrical systems and improve the energy efficiency of products.
“In just a few years, we could see sportswear capable of helping to better regulate body temperature during exercise, avoiding heat or cold peaks and improving user comfort, with better adaptation to the body and without the need for heavy batteries. We could also see lighter and more comfortable winter garments capable of retaining heat for longer, or even textile covers and surfaces for electronic devices that help control overheating,” explains Beatriz Corral, Market Manager at CIC energiGUNE.
“This type of material aims to solve very real problems related to thermal comfort, energy efficiency and the integration of technology into everyday products, making functionality a natural part of the garments themselves,” adds Mikel Duran.
In this context, CIC energiGUNE is working on flexible phase change materials, known as Flexible PCMs, capable of absorbing, storing and releasing heat in a controlled way, while also adapting to different surfaces and geometries. The aim is to develop solutions that can realistically reach the market and be adapted to different industrial applications.
Advances in functional materials and flexible thermal management are therefore opening the door to a new generation of smart textiles in which comfort, efficiency and technological integration will become part of the fabric itself.
