Cellulosic fibers having enhanced reversible thermal properties and methods of forming thereof

1. A cellulosic fiber comprising:

a fiber body including a cellulosic material and a non-encapsulated phase change material dispersed in the cellulosic material, the non-encapsulated phase change material forming a plurality of domains dispersed in the cellulosic material, the non-encapsulated phase change material having a latent heat of at least 40 Joules per gram and a transition temperature in the range of 0° C. to 100° C., the non-encapsulated phase change material providing thermal regulation based on at least one of absorption and release of the latent heat at the transition temperature.

2. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1 , wherein the cellulosic material includes at least one of cellulose and cellulose acetate.

3. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1 , wherein the cellulosic material includes lyocell.

4. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1 , wherein the cellulosic material includes viscose.

5. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1 , wherein the cellulosic material includes rayon.

6. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1 , wherein the cellulosic material includes a high modulas viscose.

7. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1 , wherein the cellulosic material includes cupro viscose.

8. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1 , wherein the cellulosic material includes a mixture of at least two cellulose products.

9. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1 , wherein the non-encapsulated phase change material includes a paraffinic hydrocarbon having 13 to 28 carbon atoms.

10. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1 , wherein the non-encapsulated phase change material includes one of a polyethylene glycol, a polyethylene oxide, a polytetramethylene glycol, and a polyester.

11. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1 , wherein the domains are substantially uniformly dispersed within the cellulosic material.

12. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1 , wherein the fiber body is between 0.1 and 100 denier.

13. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1 , wherein the non-encapsulated phase change material is a solid/solid phase change material.

14. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1 , wherein the non-encapsulated phase change material is a polymeric phase change material.

15. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1 , further comprising a second non-encapsulated phase change material dispersed in the cellulosic material.

16. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1 , wherein the transition temperature of the non-encapsulated phase change material is in the range of 22° C. to 40° C.

17. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1 , wherein the transition temperature of the non-encapsulated phase change material is in the range of 22° C. to 28° C.

18. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1 , wherein the cellulosic fiber includes from 10 percent to 30 percent by weight of the phase change material.

19. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1 , wherein the cellulosic fiber includes from 15 percent to 25 percent by weight of the phase change material.

20. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1 , wherein the cellulosic fiber includes from 10 percent to 70 percent by weight of the non-encapsulated phase change material.

21. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1 , wherein the fiber body further comprises an additive that provides fire resistant properties to the cellulosic fiber.

22. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1 , wherein the fiber body further comprises an additive that provides anti-microbial properties to the cellulosic fiber.

23. A fabric comprising:

a plurality of cellulosic fibers blended together, the plurality of cellulosic fibers including a cellulosic fiber having enhanced reversible thermal properties and including:

a fiber body including a cellulosic material and a temperature regulating material dispersed within the cellulosic material, the temperature regulating material including a non-encapsulated phase change material phase change material, the non-encapsulated phase change material forming a plurality of domains dispersed in the cellulosic material, the non-encapsulated phase change material having a latent heat of at least 40 Joules per gram and a transition temperature in the range of 0° C. to 100° C., the non-encapsulated phase change material providing thermal regulation based on at least one of absorption and release of the latent heat at the transition temperature.

24. The fabric of claim 23 , wherein the plurality of cellulosic fibers are blended together by a non-woven process.

25. The fabric of claim 23 , wherein the fabric has a moisture absorbency in the range of 12 gram/gram to 35 gram/gram.

26. The fabric of claim 23 , wherein the fabric has a specific weight in the range of 15 g/m 2 to 400 g/m 2 .

27. The fabric of claim 23 , wherein the cellulosic material includes one of cellulose and cellulose acetate.

28. The fabric of claim 23 , wherein the phase change material includes one of a paraffinic hydrocarbon, a polyhydric alcohol, a polyethylene glycol, a polyethylene oxide, a polytetramethylene glycol, and a polyester.

29. The cellulosic fiber of claim 23 , wherein the cellulosic material includes lyocell.

30. The cellulosic fiber of claim 23 , wherein the cellulosic material includes viscose.

31. The cellulosic fiber of claim 23 , wherein the cellulosic material includes rayon.

32. The cellulosic fiber of claim 23 , wherein the cellulosic material includes a high modulas viscose.

33. The cellulosic fiber of claim 23 , wherein the cellulosic material includes cupro viscose.

34. The cellulosic fiber of claim 23 , wherein the cellulosic material includes a mixture of at least two cellulose products.

35. The cellulosic fiber of claim 23 , wherein the fiber body further comprises an additive that provides fire resistant properties to the cellulosic fiber.

36. The cellulosic fiber of claim 23 , wherein the fiber body further comprises an additive that provides anti-microbial properties to the cellulosic fiber.