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Wicking of woven fabrics

By: Valsang R.K. & Patil L.G.

Abstract: Textile fabrics play an important role in the daily life of every human mankind. They are used in various applications. There application is mainly governed by liquid transport property (wicking).The type weave and one type of warp & weft interaction to another interaction significantly affects the wicking property of clothing. The main aim of this research article is to study the interaction and weaves effect on wicking, absorbency, air permeability values. Key words: - Wicking, Absorbency, Air permeability Introduction Textile fabrics play an important role in the daily life of every human mankind. Their applications for many end users are governed by their liquid transport properties (wicking property). . The characterization of liquid flow of textile fabrics are useful to decide the flow of spin finish, dyeing behavior, transport of water through the textile, comfort of under clothing, and absorbency of towels(3). The phenomenon of liquid transport during sorption from one weave to another weave and one type of warp & weft interaction to another interaction is often overlooked even though its believed to be an important part of the absorption process in the fabric. Therefore the main goal of this research is to understand the effect of fabric structure and interaction effect on the overall liquid transport behavior of fabrics (1).

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2. Experimental work 2.1-Materials Throughout this study, 12 woven fabric samples were produced. The details of the fabric samples were listed in table I. The modified polyester weft yarn was purchase from market with count of 160 denier. The combed cotton warp yarns were purchased from market with count of 30 Ne .The warp and weft density per inch for all the samples were same. All woven fabric samples were produced on rapier weaving machine with the following particulars: - Warp density: 125 ends / inch. - Weft density: 60 picks / inch - Fabric Width: 160 cm. - Number of Harness Frames: 6 - Weave structure: 1/1 plain, 2/1 twill, and 6-satin weaves - Machine speed: 400 ppm Table I. Warp mateial x Weft Weave Plain(G1) X 100% Twill(G2) A1 A2 A7 A8 Satin(G3) A5 A6 A3 A4

material 100% polyester

100 % Cotton X 100% polyester A9 polyester 100 % Cotton X 100 % Cotton A10

100% polyester X 100 % Cotton A11 A12

2.2 Method The air permeability test were conducted by air permeability tester according to ASTM slandered D73796.The conditioned test sample were centrally placed between adaptor disc and lower grip. The sufficient tension is applied over the fabric to eliminate the creases. The equipment and vacuum pump was switched on and the flow adjusting value

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is slowly opened and readjusted till desired level of pressure drop was obtained in monometer. Record the air flow in cm3/cm2/sec under the pressure drop of 10 mm head of water. The strip test was employed to measure the wicking. The wicking height of water in accordance with DIN 53924 standards (1). The fabric samples (250 mm in length and 30 mm in width) were cut along the warp and weft direction & vertically immersed in reservoir of distill water so that the lower end will contact the water (15 mm from the lower end). The height attain by water in fabric above water level in the reservoir was measured at each 5 min time interval. Record the height of water at 20 min and remove the sample from reservoir. The absorbency of sample was determined by the drop absorbency method according to AATCC/ASTM test method TS-18. 3.Result and Discussion:All the measurements were made under standard atmospheric conditions. The results were evaluated statistically according to two-way variance analysis (ANOVA). The means were compared with each other by using a statistical package program separately for every test. 3.1 Wicking The wicking property of fabric is mainly depend on the fabric charaterstics of fibre and structure of component yarns and the fabric.Table III shows the wicking height of sample fabrics in warp and weft direction for different time intreval.The fabric sample woven with satin interlacement order with interaction of warp cotton & weft polyester exibits higher wicking height in warp direction compare to plain and twill interlacement order fabric samples woven with interaction of warp cotton & weft polyester.The statistical graph shown in fig 1. The fabric woven with plain weave with interaction of polyester warp and cotton weft shows lower wicking height in warp direction compare to

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sample of satin and twill interlacement order with interaction of polyester warp and cotton weft.This may due to dominacy of hygroscopic material in warp direction as well as minumum number of binding point in satin weave which leads higher wicking in warp direction. The woven fabric sample with satin weave interlacement order with combination of polyester warp and cotton weft shows heigher wicking height in weft direction.The sample with twill and plain weave respectively shows less wicking height in weft direction compare to privious interlacement order.The woven fabric interlace with polyester warp and polyester weft shows lower wicking height in weft direction.This may due to avilability of cotton fibres in weft direction and less number of binding points per weave repeat.The statistical graph shown in fig.2. The wicking height increaes with time for all the samples which shows from table.III

Table III. sample No A12 A10 A11 A9 A8 A2 A7 A1 A4 A6 A3 A5 vertical wicking height( cm) warp way 5 10 15 20 min min min min 5.34 6.94 7.74 8.52 4.54 5.88 6.7 7.34 3.5 4.4 4.8 5.1 7.14 9.04 10.32 11.04 7.32 9.46 10.46 11.62 4.98 6.2 7.8 8.98 5.5 7.3 8.6 9.3 8.22 10.52 12.04 12.54 9.16 11.88 13.78 15.2 7.1 9 10.76 11.4 6.84 9.22 10.7 11.76 10.62 13.94 15.98 17.18 weft way 5 10 min min 4.42 5.8 3.6 4.88 5.5 7.3 5.32 6.66 6.06 7.58 3.06 4.22 6.8 8.5 5.82 7.22 8.04 9.94 5.52 7.32 9.8 12.14 7.42 9.72

15 min 6.56 5.74 8.6 7.62 8.48 5.22 10 8.32 11.54 8.8 14.12 11.22

20 min 7.18 6.56 9.3 8.28 9.12 5.94 10.6 9.16 12.3 9.68 14.76 12.38

Fig.1.1 Warp way wicking ( Plain )

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Fig.1.2.Warp way wicking ( twill )

Fig.1.3.Warp way wicking ( satin )

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Fig.1: warpway wicking effect

Fig.2.1. Weft way wicking (plain)

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Fig.2.2. weftway wicking (twill)

Fig.2.3.weftway wicking (satin) Fig:-2:- weft way wicking effect 3.2 Absorbency Absorbency of fabric is mainly depend on the fabric structure,type of yarn structure,surface tension of water.The absorbency value of plain,twill and satin weaves for various interaction is shown in Figure 3 and 4.The fabric woven with intraction of

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warp polyester and weft polyester with twill weave shows higher value of absorbency.The fabric woven with same interactions but with different interlacement order (satin & plain) exibits lower absorbency value.The sample with high absorbency value requires maximum time to absorb the water particle from the surface.This may due to warp float percentage is high than the weft floats with hydrophilic yarn.The satin weave sample with cotton warp & weft interaction shown lower absorbency value among all the samples.The satin weave shows lower absorbency value with all interactions.The reasons for this is percentage of cotton and majority of hydrophilic yarn exposed on fabric.

Fig. 3. Effect of interaction on absorbency

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Fig.4. Effect of weaves on absobency 3.3 Air permeability The average results of air permeability measurements of woven fabrics are given in Table IV and Figure 5. Table: IV weave Sample no A12 Plain A10 A11 A9 A8 twill A2 A7 A1 A4 satin A6 A3 A5 Air permeability (cm3/cm2/sec) 14.04 11.12 14.19 9.10 15.37 14.55 22.08 13.74 18.67 19.03 24.94 12.02

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Fig.5 Effect of interaction on air permeability

Fig.6 Effect of weave on air permeability The fabrics woven with warp polyester & weft cotton with Satin weave shows higher air permeability value followed by fabrics of polyester by polyester, cotton by cotton, cotton by polyester interactions figure 6.The fabric woven with warp cotton and weft polyester with plain weave shows lower air permeability values followed by fabrics of polyester by

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polyester, polyester by cotton, polyester by polyester interactions. This is particularly so because polyester yarn having more wraps/cm, less hairiness, and more space available in fabric structure which means that they offer less resistance to air. The woven fabric with c x p exhibits high air resistance in all weaves because of cotton yarns having more hairs, less tendency to slip in structure, compact yarn structure.
Conclusion:-

The fabrics woven with warp polyester & weft cotton with Satin weave shows higher air permeability value followed by fabrics of polyester by polyester, cotton by cotton, cotton by polyester interactions figure 6.The fabric woven with warp cotton and weft polyester with plain weave shows lower air permeability values followed by fabrics of polyester by polyester, polyester by cotton, polyester by polyester interactions. This is particularly so because polyester yarn having more wraps/cm, less hairiness, and more space available in fabric structure which means that they offer less resistance to air. The woven fabric with c x p exhibits high air resistance in all weaves because of cotton yarns having more hairs, less tendency to slip in structure, compact yarn structure.

References :1) A.das and s. m ishetqua , comfort charchetrstics of fabric containing twistless and hollow fibre in weft,JTATM,volume 3,issu 4,winter 2004. 2) A Das,A jain,study on the liquid flow behavior of cotton wick, fibers & polymer 2008,vol 9,no 2,176-186 3) K.V.P Singh and A. Das, Study on physiological comfort comfort of fabrics made up of structurally modified friction spun yarns: part I- vapour transmission, IJFTR, vol 35,March 2010, pp. 31-37. 4) B.K.V.P Singh and A. Das, Study on physiological comfort comfort of fabrics made up of structurally modified friction spun yarns: part II - Liquid transmission, IJFTR ,vol 35 , June 2010 ,pp. 134-138. 5) G.K.Taygi, G.Krishana, P.Kumar, Comfort aspects of finished polyester cotton and polyester viscose ring and MJS yarn fabrics, IJFTR, vol 34, June 2009, pp.137-143.

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6) T. Ramchandran ,Thermal behavior of ring and compact spun yarns single jersey ,rib and interlock knitted fabrics by, IJFTR ,vol 35, Sept 2010 ,pp 250-257.

Image Courtsey: 1. ptfegraphite.com 2. nma.gov.au

Valsang R.K. and

Patil L.G. are profesor at D.K.T.E.S. Textile &

Engineering Institute, Ichalkaranji, India