Study of wicking behavior of water on woven fabric using magnetic induction technique

Abstract

An apparatus for measuring the wicking rise of water in fabrics has been developed and several types of fabrics were examined. The method is based on the electromagnetic field induction due to wicking penetration of water into capillary spaces of fabric samples. The measuring system is coupled with a personal computer, and the distance of water rise as a function of time is determined. Plain woven fabric samples with different weft yarn counts, density, and type of fiber in blend yarn were examined. The results obtained by wicking measurement were compared with water vapor permeability index data and the test method for wettability of textile fabrics on the same samples. The average wicking rise of water decreases with the increase of weft yarn density. The wicking of water along the cotton–polyester blend weft yarn is higher than 100% cotton weft yarn samples. The relation of water vapor permeability (WVP) index and the test method for wettability of the same fabric samples show the same behavior as the wicking rise. The equivalent geometric factor neglecting the Earth’s gravitational field is calculated by the average slope L 2/t from the experimental data of wicking of water into the samples. The radii of open channels in the woven fabric sample tends to decrease as a result of increasing weft yarn density.