Biomimetics of Plant Structure in Textile Fabrics for the Improvement of Water Transport Properties

Abstract

Plants have extremely efficient water transport systems. The emulation of plant structure in textile fabrics has the potential of developing fabrics with superb liquid water transport properties. Here, we report on some novel weave structures, which emulate the branching structure of the plants and create a continuous water transport pass (just as the `xylem conduit' in the plants) from the bottom layer to the top layer by interchanging the yarns for the bottom layer and the yarns for the top layer. Experimental investigations showed that fabrics with this new structure had clearly faster liquid water transport and better moisture management property. Fabrics constructed in such weaves and made from different types of fibers and yarns exhibited excellent initial water absorption and moisture management properties as measured on the recently developed Transplanar Water Transport Tester and Moisture Management Tester.