Liquid transfer properties of textile fabrics as a function of moisture content

Abstract

Liquid transport in textile fabrics determines thermal comfort during high physical activity of a person when liquid perspiration is produced and needs to be transferred away from the skin to keep the thermal balance. In this investigation, an attempt was made to get some indications of how the combination of the fabric composition, geometry and dimensional stability, and the moisture content influences liquid transfer properties of plain weft knitted fabrics. Therefore, the knitted fabrics made from pure hydrophilic (hemp fibres), pure hydrophobic (acrylic fibres) and a hydrophilic/hydrophobic (hemp/acrylic) fibre blend underwent a trial wear and care period. The Malden Mills water distribution test was performed for the knitted fabrics with different moisture contents (0-30 %) in order to evaluate the effect on liquid transfer properties. Water transfer ability and water holding capacity of the knitted fabrics were also determined after undergoing the wear trial test. The obtained results were analysed with respect to macro and micro scales of porosity of knitted fabrics. It has been shown that the geometric configuration of the complex porous network in knitted fabrics influenced their liquid transfer properties in the whole moisture content range regardless of the composition. Despite the reconfiguration of the pore system in the knits during the trial period, their liquid transfer properties were still dependent on the pore size and distribution.

Evaluation of fabric liquid and moisture management properties at simulated skin and sweat temperatures using an advanced novel sweating simulator

“…Specifically, K3 and K6 have shown the lowest reduction in liquid accumulation at elevated temperatures which can be ascribed to their higher volume-specific area arising from the profiled fibers that is Coolmax in K3 and micro denier polyester in K6. 49,63…”

“…Specifically, K3 and K6 have shown the lowest reduction in liquid accumulation at elevated temperatures which can be ascribed to their higher volume-specific area arising from the profiled fibers that is Coolmax in K3 and micro denier polyester in K6. 49,63 The amount of liquid discharged during P1, according to Figure 13(d), was reduced by almost half in most of the fabrics for temperature controlled NSS, and a strong positive correlation (R 2 ¼ 0.74) was observed between the amount of liquid discharged during P1 at temperature controlled and non-temperature controlled NSS. Particularly, the lowest liquid discharge was observed in K3 and K6 at temperature controlled NSS, accounting for 0.15 and 0.28 times their values at non-temperature controlled NSS, respectively.…”

Studying the influence of common wet processes on the quality of 1 × 1 rib cotton/elastane knitted fabrics

“…The first one affects the air exchange between the textile microclimate and ambient air and provides heat and mass transfer, 5 while the second gives information about the fiber accessibility to water vapor 6 and influences the fabric’s thermal insulation. 7 Another piece of the fabric quality puzzle belongs to pilling propensity. Researchers identified that the synergism of fiber, yarn, and fabric properties determines the fabric pilling propensity.…”