Effects of yarn constitutions and fabric specifications on electrical properties of hybrid woven fabrics

Abstract

Abstract This paper reports a fabrication method for conductive open-end friction core-spun yarn (OFCY), which, as described, are constructed from open-end friction spun yarn (OFSY) and core stainless steel wire (SW) combined within the yarn twisting zone of the friction drum during the open-end friction spinning process. To facilitate weaving of SW and reduce the material cost, initially, the sheath stainless steel (SS), Kevlar (KS) or rayon (RS) staple fiber and core stainless steel wire are combined to form the OFCY yarn by using a DREF III open-end friction spinning method. The OFCY yarns were successfully woven into a variety of woven structures produced from a semi-automatic loom. The primary objects of this research are to develop new conductive yarns and fabrics, which could be suitable for shielding home electronic devices, electrical appliances from electromagnetic fields. Such fabrics could be incorporated into prepreg systems used for composite manufacture. In these fabrics, SW is used as a core component that is wrapped around a sheath SS and KS or RS to form an OFCY yarn in which OFCY yarn strength remains the same and electrical properties are better than for an equivalent OFSY yarn. Stainless steel staple fibers (SS) and wire (SW) are incorporated as conductive fillers to enhance the electromagnetic shielding properties of the woven fabric. The electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (EMSE) of various woven fabrics was obtained using a coaxial transmission line holder in the frequency range of 300 kHz–3 GHz. The variations of EMSE, the surface and volume resistivities of the woven fabric structure, and blend ratios of the OFCY yarns are also described.