An Improved Wet‐Spinning Strategy for Preparing Thermal‐Insulating UHMWPE Fibers and Their Application in Lightweight, Cut‐Resistant Functional Fabrics

ABSTRACT Ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber is ideal for cut‐resistant fabrics but suffers from poor thermal insulation, restricting its use in low‐temperature environments. This study proposes a method to improve the thermal insulation of UHMWPE fibers while preserving mechanical performance. Novel core–shell aerogel fibers were prepared with UHMWPE as the core and silica aerogel (SiO ₂ ) as the shell. Thermal imaging and cut‐resistant tests were used to evaluate the properties. The results show that SiO ₂ aerogel significantly enhances thermal insulation: at a 100°C heating stage, the fabric surface temperature is 6.7°C lower than the control fabric. Compared with traditional insulation materials, the same thermal insulation effect is achieved with a 41.7% thinner thickness. The aerogel shell adheres firmly without shedding, ensuring long‐term stability. Furthermore, the cut resistance is about 53.36% higher than conventional labor protection gloves. This work supports the development of lightweight, thin, high‐performance fabrics with excellent cut resistance and thermal insulation for cold‐region protective applications.