Innovative materials and technologies in the production of sleep pillows

This article is devoted to developing and comprehensively evaluating innovative materials and technologies for pillows to optimize thermoregulation, moisture wicking, and barrier protection against allergens. The relevance of the work is determined by growing evidence of the influence of sleep quality on cardiovascular health and overall vitality, as well as the insufficiency of traditional fillings (memory foam, polyester fibers) in providing a comfortable and hypoallergenic microclimate. The study aims to establish a new paradigm for pillow design that combines phase-change materials, hydrogel and gel inserts, nanofiber membranes, antimicrobial nanocomposites, and embedded sensor systems. The novelty of the work lies in the cross-analysis of laboratory characteristics, heat-and-mass transfer modeling, and field trials, which made it possible to reveal synergistic effects of the combined use of adaptive thermal accumulators, highly conductive gels, and nanotechnological barriers. The main findings demonstrate that microencapsulated paraffin cores increase the dynamic heat capacity of polyurethane foam by 10–35-fold and accelerate heat transfer sevenfold; hydrogels raise the thermal conductivity of air-foam matrices by an order of magnitude; and electrospun nanofiber membranes provide allergen filtration with ≈ 99% efficiency without compromising air permeability. Antimicrobial coatings based on Ag and ZnO ions retain activity after multiple washes, thus breaking the “moisture → microbiome → allergen” chain. Integrating piezoelectric and PVDF sensors with machine-learning algorithms enables continuous monitoring and automatic adjustment of temperature, humidity, and respiratory parameters. This article will be helpful to bedding engineers, materials researchers, and manufacturers of “smart” sleep accessories.