Moisture Management Capability Research Articles

Linear regression analysis of properties related to moisture management using cotton–polyester knitted fabrics

The complex evaluation of thermo-physiological comfort for a particular garment is still challenging, as it depends on the different structural parameters and individual properties of textiles. Measurement of relevant fabric characteristics requires very specific laboratory equipment, such as an M 290 moisture management tester (SDL ATLAS) or similar. For this reason, it is obvious that there is a great demand to predict the overall moisture management capability ( OMMC) based on the individual properties that are responsible for clothing comfort and testing according to different standards rather than OMMC-specific calculation using the M 290 tester. Therefore, in this research, linear regression analysis was performed using MATLAB software to predict the OMMC for cotton–polyester fabrics knitted in two patterns, namely 1 × 1 rib and half-Milano rib, using four percentages of fibers. Water vapor permeability, water vapor resistance, water absorption capacity, water absorption time, and air permeability were used as input variables for linear regression analysis to predict the OMMC of fabrics. The performed analysis has shown that the OMMC is directly dependent on the relative water vapor permeability and air permeability, and the linear regression equation suggested in this research can predict the suitability of a textile for a particular garment concerning its moisture management behavior.

BİSİKLET SPORU GİYSİLERİNDE KULLANILAN ÖRME KUMAŞLARIN GİYİM KONFORU ÖZELLİKLERİNİN İNCELENMESİ - INVESTIGATING THE CLOTHING COMFORT PROPERTIES OF KNITTED FABRICS USED IN CYCLING SPORTSWEAR

In this research, it was aim to investigate the clothing comfort properties of knitted fabrics intended for summer cycling sportswear. Five different fiber types and five different knitted structures commonly used in cycling sportwear were selected and totally 25 fabrics were manufactured by using a seamless circular knitting machine namely Santoni SM8-TOP2V in a controlled manner. To assess the impact of material type and knitted structures on clothing comfort properties, mass per unit area, thickness, air permeability, thermal conductivity, thermal resistance, overall moisture management capability and relative vapour permeability tests were conducted. The statistical significance of variations in the obtained results was evaluated using the analysis of variance (ANOVA) method. In conclusion, the most suitable material and knitted structure have been recommended for summer upper body cycling clothing.

Impact of vitamin E in improving comfort, moisture management and mechanical properties of flame-retardant treated cotton fabric

The aim of this study is to analyze the use of vitamin E to enhance fabric's hand feel, moisture management and fabric strength which are affected due to flame retardant finish. Flame retardant treated fabrics typically become stiff, but the addition of Vitamin E along with emulsifier and binding agent through a vertical padding mangle by two times dipping and nipping results a soft fabric without impairing the flammability properties as determined by 45-degree flammability test. The samples were characterized by FTIR spectra, SEM images, and water contact angle. A new characteristics band is appeared at 1455 cm−1 for skeletal vibration of phenyl ring system of alpha tocopherol for Vitamin E measured by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) that proves the effective attachment of vitamin E with fabric. Hydrophilicity of vitamin E containing sample is discovered after showing 37.629° as a water contact angle at optical tensiometer (Attension theta lite). Additionally, fabric comfort properties, moisture management properties, and mechanical properties were measured by fabric touch tester (FTT), moisture management tester (MMT) machine and tensile strength tester respectively that demonstrate significant affirmative change in almost all indexes of FTT, 43.5 % increase of overall moisture management capacity by MMT and 23 % increase of tear strength by tensile strength tester due to use of vitamin E that effectively compensate lower strength, poor fabric comfort, and low moisture management capability of flame retardant treated fabric.

Investigation of the moisture transfer ability and thermal comfort properties of single-layer cotton/polyester interwoven fabrics

In this paper, hydrophilic cotton (CO) yarn and hydrophobic cross-section polyester (PET) filaments were used to prepare single-layer interwoven fabrics (CO/PET fabrics) with plain, 3/1 twill, and 8/5 satin to formulate a hydrophobicity–hydrophilicity gradient across the fabric for obtaining a good water transfer ability. The CO fabrics and PET fabrics were prepared for comparison. The contact angle and thermo-physiology properties of the fabrics, including the wicking property, moisture management ability, drying property, air permeability and water vapor permeability, thermal property, and dynamic cooling property, were investigated. The results show that the asymmetric hydrophobicity–hydrophilicity characteristic can be formed across CO/PET fabric with 3/1 twill and 8/5 satin. This can improve the water transfer ability from the inside to the outside of the fabrics, and the longer the floating length of the fabric is, the stronger the water transfer ability is. These two fabrics also exhibit excellent wicking properties, overall moisture management capability, and thermal comfort, and have good permeability, drying properties, and dynamic cooling properties compared to the corresponding fabrics. As a result, these two CO/PET interwoven textiles are more suitable for application as clothes worn in summer. The interweaving technique combining hydrophilic and hydrophobic yarns is an easy and cost-effective method to prepare fabrics that meet summer requirements. This work provides insight into the thermal and moisture comfort property of interwoven fabrics for summer garments.

Enhancing the Thermal Comfort of Woven Fabrics and Mechanical Properties of Fiber-Reinforced Composites Using Multiple Weave Structures

In this study, the different effects of weave structure on the comfort properties of fabrics and the mechanical properties of fiber-reinforced composites were investigated. Fabrics were developed using one type of material (flax spun yarn) in the warp direction and three different materials (flax, sisal and cotton spun yarn) in the weft directions. Four different types of weaves (plain, twill, matt and mock leno) were produced in each type of material. Twelve specimens were produced on a sample weaving machine. These fabrics with multiweave combinations give the wearer a comfort zone for sportswear and outdoor applications. These fabrics maintain the temperature of wearers in extreme weather conditions. But these weaves have different effects when interlaced with different types of weft yarns. Air permeability, overall moisture management, stiffness and thermal resistance were investigated for these fabric specimens. The hybrid fabric produced with pure flax warp and weft cotton/sisal exhibited the highest value of air permeability, overall moisture management capability and thermal resistance followed by flax–sisal and flax–flax. The hybrid fabric produced with the mock leno weave also presented a higher value of air permeability compared to the twill, mat and plain weaves. Bending stiffness was observed to be higher in those fabrics produced with flax/sisal compared to pure flax and flax–cotton. The outerwear fabric produced with a blend of flax yarn in the warp and cotton/sisal spun yarn in the weft exhibited improved properties when compared to the fabric produced with flax/sisal and pure flax yarns. In composites, flax/flax showed enhanced mechanical properties, i.e., tensile and flexural strength. In other combinations, the composites with longer weaves possessed prominent mechanical characteristics. The composites with enhanced mechanical properties can be used for window coverings, furniture upholstery and sports equipment. These composites have the potential to be used in automotive applications.

Influence of tetrahedral architectures on fluid transmission and heat retention behaviors of auxetic weaves

Recently auxetic textiles have captured the attention of researchers. Yet no work is reported on the development and characterization of novel tetrahedral woven auxetic structures. In this study, six two-dimensional (2D) woven auxetic structures including diamond-based vertical pointed twill (S1), vertical inverse pointed twill (S2), vertical broken pointed twill (S3), vertical pointed twill (S4), open tetrahedral (S5), and closed tetrahedral (S6) were developed. For performance analysis, thermal comfort properties including fluid transmission characteristics (air permeability, water vapor permeability index, overall moisture management capability (OMMC)), and heat retention attributes were characterized. These fabrics were also characterized by their mechanical behavior including negative Poisson’s ratio (NPR), tensile and tear strength, pilling, abrasion resistance, and stretch and growth %. S5 has longer floats, hence it became more flexible and open which resulted in higher dry fluid transmission. All specimens showed more than 85% wet fluid transmission tendencies. S6 showed the highest and S5 showed the least OMMC values. Furthermore, S2 has a higher thermal resistance because of low air permeability. The developed fabric structures showed NPR up to −0.64. A significant effect of float length has been found on the auxeticity of fabrics along the warp direction. S5 showed a higher tensile strength and stretch % in warp and weft directions. All the developed woven auxetic fabrics remained unteared in both the warp and weft directions along with viable pilling (4–5 grade) and showed improved abrasion resistance.

Effect of Cellulosic Material and Weave Design on Comfort Performance of Woven Fabrics

ABSTRACT Availability, simplicity of processing, biodegradability, sustainability, and compatibility with human skin in terms of moisture management and temperature regulation, cellulosic fibers are preferred for clothing. In this study four (04) different cellulosic yarns (cotton, bamboo, viscose, and tencel) and two weave designs (1/1 plain and 2/2 warp rib) were used to develop eight (08) woven fabrics with equal thread densities, and their volume porosity %, air permeability, thermal resistance, water vapor permeability index, and moisture management properties were compared. The results showed that tencel fabrics showed the highest water vapor permeability index and overall moisture management capability (OMMC) values, whereas cotton fabrics had the highest values of volume porosity %, air permeability, and thermal resistance. Furthermore, the 2/2 warp rib weave design showed higher values of volume porosity %, air permeability, and thermal resistance in comparison with 1/1 plain woven fabrics, while the water vapor permeability index and OMMC values were higher in 1/1 plain woven fabrics. Moreover, the statistical significance of both factors (cellulose material and weave design) on different results was also analyzed.

Breathability and Moisture Permeability of Cellulose Nanocrystals Hollow Microsphere Coatings for PET Fabrics.

In this study, cellulose nanocrystals hollow microspheres (HMs) were fabricated through Pickering emulsion polymerization, in which hydrophobically modified cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) acted as Pickering stabilizers. The hollow interior core was prepared by solvent evaporation. This manuscript describes the synthesis of HMs in detail. The hollow structure and nanoscale size of HMs were verified using TEM. The resultant HMs could easily coat self-forming films on the surface of PET fabrics. Additionally, these coatings exhibited superior breathability and moisture permeability properties with a high one-way transport index of 936.33% and a desirable overall moisture management capability of 0.72. Cellulose nanocrystal hollow microsphere coatings could be used as a moisture-wicking functionality agent for finishing fabrics, oil-water separation, and fog harvesting.

Effect of Fibers and Weave Designs on the Thermo-Physiological Comfort of Summer Scarf Fabric

The summer headscarves, which are usually made of polyester, are commonly used by women in the Middle East and South Asia regions. The polyester fibers provide good luster and drape but give poor comfort to the wearer. This work aims to produce summer headscarf fabrics using four different fibers with three different fabric structures to achieve comfortable summer scarf. The micropolyester, TENCEL™, COOLMAX®, and bamboo fibers were selected to construct the fabrics with 1/1 plain, 2/1 twill, and 2/2 matt weave. The ring spinning technique was employed to form yarns, which were later used to construct fabrics from these yarns. The fabrics were tested for drape, surface friction, air permeability, thermal resistance, overall moisture management capability, etc. The study revealed that matt weave is the best choice for summer scarf fabrics due to its structure. Further, it was also concluded that in fibers, micropolyester and TENCEL™ can provide the best results for aesthetic, tactile, and thermal comfort.

Development of biodegradable tri-blended fabrics with improved moisture management properties using cotton/polylactic-acid/bamboo-viscose fibres

The influence of fibre blend composition on the moisture management properties of tri-blended cotton-rich knit fabrics with biodegradability has been studied. The cotton, polylactic acid and bamboo-viscose fibres are blended to produce yarns of 14.7 tex (40s Ne) with four different blend proportions, namely 60/20/20, 50/30/20, 50/20/30 and 40/30/30. The yarns are then knitted into a single jersey structure of 130-135 gsm, followed by its scouring, bleaching and relaxation treatments. The relaxed fabrics are then evaluated for dynamic moisture transport properties using the SDL Atlas moisture management tester. The moisture management test results indicate that blending polylactic acid fibres with cotton and bamboo-viscose fibres improves the blended fabric's moisture management properties. The overall moisture management capability value is found to be better for cotton/polylactic-acid/bamboo-viscose blended fabric in the proportion of 50/30/20.

Influence of Musa Acuminata SAP on Moisture Management Properties of Cotton Fabrics

ABSTRACT Musa Acuminata SAP has greater influence on moisture management property of the fabric. The fabric finished with Musa Acuminata SAP also shows higher level of comfort. An examination was made on the effect of Musa Acuminata SAP-finished fabric on moisture management properties of the cotton-finished fabric like wetting time, absorption time, spreading area, spreading speed, accumulative one-way transport index, and moisture management capability. The results prove that the fabric finished with the highest concentration of Musa Acuminata SAP at a moderate temperature with the least processing time has good performance in the moisture management behavior of the finished fabric when compared with the lower concentration of Musa Acuminata SAP with the highest temperature at the highest processing time.

Study on Moisture Management Properties of Eri Silk Knitted Denim Fabrics

ABSTRACT This study was aimed to develop knitted denim fabrics by using cotton and eri silk yarns. Three combinations of 3/1 twill knitted denim fabrics were developed. Two materials cotton yarn 30s and eri silk yarn 2/80s Nm with three types (100% cotton, 50% cotton/50% eri silk, 100% eri silk) of knitted denim fabrics were produced. Moisture management properties were tested for the developed samples.100% eri silk knitted denim fabric was found with the excellent accumulative one way transport index % and a very good overall moisture management capability better than that of 100% cotton and 50% cotton/50%eri silk knitted denim fabrics. The results indicated that the eri silk knitted denim fabric is more suitable for active wear and functional wear applications.

Dimensional, moisture, and thermal properties of bi-layered knitted fabric for sportswear application

PurposeThe essential properties of active sports fabrics are moisture management, quick-drying, body heat management and thermal regulations. Fibre type, blending nature, yarn and fabric structure and the finishing treatment are the key parameters that influenced the performance of the clothing meant for sportswear. This study aims to investigate the effect of fibre blending and structural tightness factors on bi-layer sport fabric's dimensional, moisture management and thermal properties.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, 12 different bi-layer inter-lock fabrics were produced. Polyester filament (120 Denier) yarn was fed to form the backside of the fabric, and the face side was varied with cotton, modal, wool and soya spun yarns of 30sNe. Three different types of structural tightness factors were considered, such as low, medium and high were taken for sample development. The assessment towards dimensional, moisture management and thermal properties was carried out on all the samples.FindingsThe polyester-modal blend with a high tightness factor has shown maximum overall moisture management capability (OMMC) values of 0.73 and air permeability of 205.3 cm3/cm2/s. The same sample has shown comparatively higher thermal conductivity of 61.72 × 10–3 W m-1 °C-1(Under compression state) and 58.45 × 10–3 W m-1 °C-1 (under recovery state). In the case of surface roughness is concerned, polyester-modal blends have shown the lowest surface roughness, surface roughness amplitude and surface friction co-efficient. Among the selected fibre combinations, the overall comfort level of polyester-modal bi-layer knitted structure with a higher tightness factor is appreciable. Polyester-modal is more suitable for active sportswear among the four fiber blend combinations.Research limitations/implicationsThe outcome of this study will help to gain a better understanding of fibre blends, structural tightness factor and other process specifications for the development of bi-layer fabric for active sportswear applications. The dynamic functional testing methods (Moisture management and Thermal properties) were carried out to simulate the actual wearing environment of the sports clothing. This study will create a new scope of research opportunities in the field of bi-layer sports textiles.Originality/valueThis study was conducted to explore the influence of fibre blend and structural tightness factor on the comfort level of sportswear and to find the suitable fibre blend for active sportswear clothing.

Effect of picking sequence on thermo-physiological comfort of bilayer woven fabrics

PurposeThis paper aims to develop bilayer woven fabrics with different picking sequences with enhanced comfort without any change in the constituent materials.Design/methodology/approachSix bilayer woven fabrics were produced on Dobby loom with 3/1 twill weave using micro-polyester yarn. Three different picking sequences, i.e. single pick insertion (SPI), double pick insertion (DPI) and three pick insertion (3PI), were used in both face and back layers. The effect of picking sequence on air permeability (AP), volume porosity, thermal resistance and overall moisture management capability (OMMC) of the samples were analyzed.FindingsThe results showed that 3PI–3PI picking sequence gives the highest OMMC, AP and thermal resistance in bilayer woven fabrics and the least results exhibited by SPI–SPI picking sequence.Research limitations/implicationsThis research uses a bilayer woven system that develops channels and trapes the air causing higher thermal resistance; therefore, applicable for winter sports clothing rather than for summer wear. Developed bilayer woven fabrics can be used in winter sportswear to improve the comfort of the wearer and reduce fatigue during activity.Originality/valueAuthors have developed bilayer fabrics by changing the picking sequences, i.e. SPI, DPI and 3PI of weft yarns in both layers and compared their thermo-physiological comfort properties.

Investigating the Liquid Moisture Transport Behavior of Cotton and Polyester Cotton Blended Woven Fabric

This study focused on the effects of varying the warp and weft densities and blend ratio on the overall liquid transport behavior of plain woven 100% cotton and polyester/cotton blended fabric. Overall Moisture Management Capability (OMMC) and Accumulative One-way Transport Index (AOTI) along with wetting and spreading time of the top and bottom surfaces was measured on moisture management tester. The results were used as a basis to grade the fabric for its moisture transport behavior. It was observed that polyester/cotton blends have an overall higher accumulative one-way transport index and overall moisture management capability than 100% cotton fabric. Furthermore, an increase in the polyester content in the fabric resulted in a significant increase in the transport of moisture. However less number of warp and weft yarns in the blended fabric improved the overall moisture management capability of the fabric.

An All-Hydrophobic Fluid Diode for Continuous and Reduced-Wastage Water Transport.

Directional water transport that occurs in natural insects and plants is important to both organisms and advanced science and technology. Despite the many studies conducted to facilitate directional liquid transport by constructing double-layered hydrophilic/hydrophobic materials, it remains difficult to achieve continuous water transport and reduce liquid wastage due to the hydrophilic regions. Herein, a directional water transport fabric (DWTF) was fabricated using a simple single-side coating method based on entirely hydrophobic materials. With coating thicknesses of 13-29 μm, the fabric could guide the continuous water motion from the coated to the uncoated side and can be utilized as a "liquid diode". In addition, the DWTF exhibited a water wastage reduction during the transport process, benefiting from the intrinsic hydrophobic properties of the material. Moreover, a plausible mechanism of water transport is proposed to explain the water droplet transfer in the bilayered hydrophobic materials. Consequently, the resulting DWTF exhibited an excellent accumulative one-way transport capability (AOTC) of 965.7% and a desirable overall moisture management capability (OMMC) of 0.92. This work provides an avenue for fabricating smart fluid delivery materials to various applications such as flexible microfluidics, wound dressing, oil-water separation processes, and engineered desiccant materials.

Aerogel incorporated flexible nonwoven fabric for thermal protective clothing

Aerogel-nonwoven fabrics are gradually emerging as a promising alternative in the field of thermal protective textiles. Although currently available commercial aerogel-nonwovens can provide some degree of flexibility and find their way into the conventional textiles, their flexibility has not yet reached an acceptable level essential for clothing comfort. Fabric flexibility is important for the aesthetics, comfort, and functionality of clothing. This article demonstrates the design and fabrication of an aerogel-nonwoven fabric as a thermal liner in a multilayered protective clothing system that is significantly more flexible than commercial aerogel-nonwoven fabrics. The developed aerogel-nonwoven composite possesses almost similar dry and radiant heat resistance but inferior contact heat resistance in comparison to commercial aerogel nonwovens. It has high air and moisture vapour permeability compared to its commercial counterpart and will provide satisfactory thermal comfort to the wearer in hot and humid environments. The overall thermal resistance performance, together with high flexibility and moisture management capability, make the aerogel-nonwoven fabric a potential alternative to commercial nonwovens for any thermal protective clothing system where fabric flexibility and thermal comfort are the key requirements.

The Effect of Softeners Applications on Moisture Management Properties of Polyester/Cotton Blended Sandwich Weft-Knitted Fabric Structure

Prolonged drying times of terry fabrics is a problem as they can not be re-used until completely dry. To resolve this issue, we have designed a sandwich polyester in the mid-layer with low moisture content that could reduce the drying time with excellent wicking properties. These fabrics are widely used as activewear and sportswear. The effect of different softeners on the moisture management properties of weft-knitted terry fabrics’ for various applications has also been studied. Terry knitted fabrics were prepared using a circular knitting machine. Six different softeners were applied with three different concentrations, i.e., 10 g/L, 15 g/L, and 20 g/L, on the fabric using the pad-dry-cure method. Moisture management tests and rubbing fastness tests were performed to analyze the applied softener’s effect on the fabric comfort and moisture management performance. Results revealed that softener type (i.e., cationic, anionic, and non-ionic) and concentration levels considerably affect the moisture management capability of terry knitted fabrics.

Effect of Stitch Density and Stitch Type on the Moisture Management Properties of Seams for High Active Sportswear Application

The impact of stitch density and seam class on the moisture management properties of seams was investigated in this study. A lapped seam (Class 2) using a Flat Lock Stitch class ASTM 607 and a super imposed seam (Class 1) using an Overlock Stitch Class ASTM 514 were constructed with four different stitch densities – SPI 10, SPI 14, SPI 18 and SPI 22, and the moisture management properties of seamed fabric in terms of the spreading speed, area of spreading, absorption time, wetting time, one-way transport index and overall moisture management capability (OMMC) on the seam line were investigated. It was observed from the results that the seams made with low stitch density show better moisture management capability, and the lapped seam exhibits better moisture management capability when compared to the superimposed seam.

Analysis on Moisture Management Characteristics of Enzyme and Amino Silicone Treated Jute/Cotton Union Fabric

The research reports moisture management capabilities of the jute/cotton blended fabric before and after enzyme and amino silicone softener treatment. The findings of the results revealed that the enzyme and silicone softener treatment significantly (p<0.05) increased the moisture management characteristics of the jute/cotton fabric irrespective of jute blend proportions. The finished jute/cotton blended union fabric possessed a wetting time (WT) of 6 seconds over the untreated fabric (15 s) on both top and bottom sides. The maximum wetted radius (MWR) of the untreated fabric reduced with respect to the increment in jute percentage in the yarn. In the finished fabric, irrespective of jute proportion the MWR increased to 20 mm/s both top and bottom surface. The absorption rate (AR) of the untreated fabrics noted very high on the top side of the fabric (282 %/s) and less in the bottom side (37 %/s). However, the finished fabric showed a reduced AR on the top side (8 %/s) and higher AR on the backside (51 %/s). Spreading speed (SS) of the untreated fabric noted lesser (0.3 mm/s) than treated (1.2 mm/s). The overall moisture content (OWTC) of the untreated fabric (accumulation of both top and bottom) is rated as very poor and after finishing the fabrics are rated as very good. The Overall moisture management capability (OMMC) of the treated fabric improved from very poor (0.3) to very good (0.6–0.8) designation. Pearson correlation coefficient analysis revealed OMMC values negatively and linearly correlated with OWTC. The findings confirmed that better moisture management behavior of the finished fabric mainly depends on the higher spreading speed and lower wetting time.