Evaluation of Insulation against Contact Heat, Radiant Heat and Sensory Comfort of Basalt Fabric-Based Composites with Parylene C Coating

Abstract

The article concerns research on using Parylene C coating on basalt fabric-based composites with potential use in protective clothing to improve their insulation against contact heat and radiant heat, as well as the sensory comfort of the user. The outcomes of the contact heat method showed that applying Parylene C coating improved the thermal insulation of all tested composites. Two of them achieved the first efficiency level of protection. The results of the radiant heat method presented that using the Parylene C coating did not cause changes in the thermal insulation against heat radiation of all tested materials; the radiant heat transfer index reached values in the range of 12.4 - 12.9 s. X-ray tomography (micro-CT) allowed for identifying breaks/snaps in basalt fibers irritating the user’s skin in direct contact with the composite. Micro-CT results also showed that using Parylene C coating eliminated the effect of skin irritation and increased the usability of basalt fabrics in clothing.