Evaluating the Mechanical Properties of Waterproof Breathable Fabric Produced by a Coating Process

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to evaluate mechanical properties of a waterproof breathable fabric. A spacer knit with a cotton inner face and a polyester (PET) outer face was coated in order to obtain a waterproof breathable fabric. The applied coat was a mixture of an acrylic paste and a fluorocarbon resin. The treated fabric has undergone several tests to evaluate its mechanical properties. Tensile strength, flexural strength, abrasion resistance, and wrinkle recovery behavior were measured and discussed. After the coating treatment, the fabric was rigidified by 25% and 19% in wale and course directions, respectively. The coated PET face of the spacer fabric was not altered even after 125,000 abrasion cycles. A stiffer fabric was obtained after the coating treatment. However, fabric recovery behavior was ameliorated by 78% and 72% according to wale and course directions, respectively. The coated fabric can be used to produce raincoats and jackets.

Investigating Waterproofness and Breathability of a Coated Double-Sided Knitted Fabric

“…Few studies analyzed the water repellency, waterproofness, windproofness, and water vapor permeability of textile materials such as PET, nylon, cotton, and wool [40]. In a previous study, Ghezal et al [9,41] developed a coated textile by applying a mixture of a fluorocarbon resin and an acrylic paste to a double-sided knitted fabric. The novelty was introducing a new coating made of industrialized chemical products that does not require water use.…”

“…The developed substrates were obtained by coating a spacer fabric with acrylic and fluorocarbon resins. The surface state of the developed coated samples and mechanical performances were already analyzed in a previous study undertaken by Ghezal et al [9,41]. The effects of the two used resin quantities as well as the reticulation time on air permeability, windproofness, water vapor permeability, and resistance to water penetration were analyzed using the Box-Behnken experimental design.…”

Investigating the Performances of a Coated Plain Weave Fabric Designed for Producing Protective Gowns

“…e applied coating contains fluorocarbon (Fluorotex FO/57) and acrylic resins (Setaprint PTL). In previous works that were done by Ghezal et al [8,9], a cotton-PES double-sided knit was coated with acrylic and fluorocarbon polymers.…”