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For the first time, the current study has combined the heat-resistant property of aerogel with the heat-absorbing capacity of PCM in FPC. Thus, it has presented a new area of applied research. There are plenty of opportunities for further research on current process optimisation, investigation of various methods to combine aerogel and PCM in textiles and identifying their usefulness in diverse fields of application.

Firstly, more work is required on the current coating method regarding its breathability, particle loading and efficiency.

1. In the current study, to impart breathability methods of foam coating, hydrophilic coating and formation of a microporous coating were studied (as shown in Appendix A). However, these could not be finished due to the time limitation. Foam coating showed an improvement in breathability, but more investigative work is needed to increase the performance. The hydrophilic coating method was not very successful, but could be improved by the addition of a superabsorbent polymer. Superabsorbent polymer in coatings can act via a similar mechanism as commercial hydrophilic membrane and thus will be able to transport moisture from the skin to the climate and make the coating more breathable. Formation of a microporous coating was also attempted. Further work is required to explore the feasibility and practicality of this method. All the aforementioned methods, together with many other options, could be investigated to make the coating breathable.

2. There is also good scope to maximise the particle loading with a minimum amount of binder polymer applied on fabrics. The performance of aerogel or PCM coated fabric completely depends on the actual amount of particles present in the coating. In the current study, it was not possible to add more than 12% aerogel or more than 30% PCM in a binder paste. If any new process or recipe can be formulated to optimise the particle loading, it will increase the thermal performance in FPC.

3. To increase the percentage of aerogel particles and reduce the binder amount on fabric surfaces, other coating methods like spray coating, transfer coating etc. can be investigated.

4. Alternative methods to transparent coating may provide better heat resistance of aerogel. As discussed in Appendix A2, the transparency of aerogel is an issue in radiant heat resistance which can be resolved by introducing an opacifier.

5. The coating additive developed in the current study shows a bright prospect of application in thermoregulatory textiles. Further research is required to maximise the loading of PCM in the nanopores of aerogel. The pore size and porosity of the carrier aerogel play important roles in this case. Aerogels with different pore diameter and porosity can be investigated along with process optimisation.

6. Full-scale performance analysis of the developed material is also required to be done. Clothing could be prepared from the developed fabrics and technology and then their performance could be evaluated in thermal and pyro manikins.

Secondly, to apply aerogel and PCM on textiles other than via coating methods, extensive research is required. Examples of alternative options include, but are not limited to:

1. The formation of nonwoven containing aerogel and PCM using various methods such as electrospinning, thermal bonding, mechanical entrapping, padding, etc. Nonwoven structure has the advantage of high porosity, which can offer better insulation and breathability. However, the presence of aerogel may reduce the flexibility as in existing commercial aerogel nonwoven. Research on making flexible aerogel nonwoven is one of the recent trends. Hence, in future it would be good to see the combination of flexible aerogel nonwoven with PCM in thermal protective clothing.

2. Electrospinning of aerogel to form a nonwoven structure holds very good promise with diverse applicability beyond its application in FPC. Currently the poor bonding of electrospun mat on base substrates is a major concern which needs to be addressed through extensive further research.

3. In the current study, a regenerated aramid–aerogel nonwoven was prepared. However, it suffers from low strength. I believe that, with further research, it will be possible to produce an aramid–aerogel nonwoven for thermal protective applications. In this study, m-aramid was used which required mechanical drawing for polymer chain orientation. Hence, if a liquid-crystal polymer fibre such as p-aramid can be used, the strength may increase as it does not require mechanical drawing for chain orientation.

4. Mechanical entrapping of aerogel in yarn or fabric structures could be another option to apply aerogel in FPC, as discussed in the literature review section. Hydrospace fabric and the laser-engraving technique are two examples of this opportunity. Mechanical entrapping of aerogel in fabric has the advantage of eliminating the need for additional auxiliaries like binders for aerogel application.

Thirdly, the application potential of aerogel in FPC also needs to be explored from various other dimensions, such as the resistance of aerogel to pure radiative heat transfer and the flammability of aerogel itself in extremely high temperature or longer duration of flame exposure. Again, there are plenty of opportunities to investigate the combination of aerogel with PCM in FPC. Our first study (Thermal protection and comfort properties of aerogel and PCM-coated fabric for firefighter garments as published in the Journal of Industrial Textiles) investigated this applicability from one dimension whereas the other study (Effects of aerogel incorporation in PCM-containing thermal liners of firefighting garment as published in

there are more ways of combining aerogel and PCM which need to be investigated. Furthermore, the application potential can be based on both perspectives of protection and comfort. There is a good possibility that the weight and thickness of FPC can be reduced by using aerogel and/or PCM. Aerogel is the lightest possible solid. Proper application of aerogel will surely reduce the weight. However, more in-depth, continuous research is required to apply aerogel in FPC without limiting the flexibility, movement or ergonomics.

Finally, the combination of aerogel and PCM may have better uses in many other fields than FPC. As an example, releasing body heat through the coating is a concern in FPC, whereas in cold-weather clothing, retaining body heat is the objective. Here the impermeable nature of the coating could be an added benefit. Aerogel and PCM coated textiles have good potential to be used in this case. Similarly, it is possible that the limitations of current development in one application field can be deemed desirable properties in other fields. Thus, the current research could be further extended in many different directions.

Appendix-A