Journal of Natural Fibers

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Study on Moisture Management Properties of

Plated Interlock Knitted Fabrics

T Sathish Kumar, M Ramesh Kumar, C. Prakash & B. Senthil Kumar

To cite this article: T Sathish Kumar, M Ramesh Kumar, C. Prakash & B. Senthil Kumar (2022)
Study on Moisture Management Properties of Plated Interlock Knitted Fabrics, Journal of Natural
Fibers, 19:13, 7330-7337, DOI: 10.1080/15440478.2021.1944443

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/15440478.2021.1944443

Published online: 05 Jul 2021.

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JOURNAL OF NATURAL FIBERS
2022, VOL. 19, NO. 13, 7330–7337
https://doi.org/10.1080/15440478.2021.1944443

Study on Moisture Management Properties of Plated Interlock

Knitted Fabrics
T Sathish Kumara, M Ramesh Kumara, C. Prakash b
, and B. Senthil Kumarc
a
Department of Fashion Technology, Sona College of Technology, Salem, Tamil Nadu, India; bDepartment of
Handloom and Textile Technology, Indian Institute of Handloom Technology, Ministry of Textiles, Govt. Of India,
Shantipur, Nadia, West Bengal, India; cCentre for Apparel Research and Education, NIFT TEA Knitwear Fashion Institute,
Tirupur, Tamil Nadu, India

ABSTRACT KEYWORDS
In this study eri silk/micro denier polyester/bamboo, eri silk/micro denier Bamboo; comfort; eri silk;
polyester/tencel plated interlock fabrics and the moisture management micro denier polyester;
properties have been developed and analyzed. The effects of raw material moisture management;
tencel
combination and fabric structure on moisture management properties with
plated interlock knit fabrics are examined. For this study, two types of plated 关键词
interlock knit structures have been developed. The outer layer made up of 竹子; 舒适; 里丝; 细旦涤
bamboo/tencel yarns (14.8 tex), the middle layer micro denier polyester (125 纶; 水分管理; 天丝
denier) connected with more tuck points, the next to skin layer made up of
eri silk yarns (14.3 tex). The result shows that plated interlock knit structure
are highly influences the moisture management properties. When compare
to eri silk/micro denier polyester/bamboo and tencel combination Excellent
moisture management properties were observed in eri silk/micro denier/
tencel combination plated interlock knitted fabrics.
摘要
本文研究了eri丝/细旦涤纶/竹材、eri丝/细旦涤纶/tencel电镀互锁织物及
其吸湿性能. 研究了原料组合和织物结构对针织物吸湿性能的影响. 在这项
研究中, 已开发出两种类型的电镀互锁针织结构. 外层由竹/天丝纱
（14.8tex）组成, 中间层由125旦涤纶（125旦）组成, 中间层与更多的褶
裥点相连, 下一层由eri丝纱（14.3tex）组成. 结果表明, 织物组织对水分管
理性能有很大影响. 与eri丝/细旦涤纶/竹纤维和tencel组合相比, eri丝/细旦
涤纶/竹纤维/tencel组合针织物具有优异的吸湿性能.

Introduction
Comfort properties are one of the important properties apart from physical properties. Thermal and
moisture management properties are determined total comfort of clothing. Moisture management and
thermal properties indicates comfort level of the fabric. The fabric mail role is to maintain the thermal
balance. When compare to woven fabrics knitted fabrics are having good comfort properties.
Garments are constructed depends upon the human body temperature. Normal human body
temperature is 37°C (Geethanjali et al. 2021). Thermal balance maintain by body core temperature.
Clothing may affect the human body temperature. Fabric outer layer maintain the relative humidity
(Huang 2016). The effect of fiber, polymer, yarn, fabric, finishing affects the end uses. Active wears are
providing a heat to the skin (Udaya Krithika et al. 2021). The clothing having high thermal insulation
properties for cold climates (Gunasekaran, Prakash, and Periyasamy 2021). Fabric structure affect the
thermal regulation (Karunakaran and Prakash 2017). In sports garments moisture management
properties are very important during physical activities (Udayakirthika et al. 2019; Udaya Krithika

CONTACT C. Prakash dearcprakash@gmail.com Department of Handloom and Textile Technology, Indian Institute of
Handloom Technology, Ministry of Textiles, Govt. Of India, Fulia Colony, Shantipur, Nadia, West Bengal, 741402, India
© 2021 Taylor & Francis
 JOURNAL OF NATURAL FIBERS 7331

et al. 2020). The heat loss depends upon the level of swat evaporation (Manshahia and Das 2014). Air,
heat, moisture properties maintain the body temperature (Özen, Çinçik, and Şimşek 2016). Wicking
and wetting properties affects the thermal comfort properties (Senthilkumar, Sampath, and
Ramachandran 2012). Thermal comfort depends upon the fiber, yarn, fabric and finishing.
Regenerated fibers like tencel to improve the more comfort properties (Sakthivel and Anbumani
2012). Tencel fibers have high absorbency and smooth surface. Tencel fabrics have high strength and
high absorbency (Utkun 2014). The moisture management and drying rate of the tencel fabric is high
when compare to synthetic fabrics (Hussain, Nazir, and Masood 2015). Bamboo fabrics are having
good moisture management properties due to micro gaps present in the structure (Utkun 2014).
Polyester hydrophobic nature so does not absorb moisture (Sampath, Prakash, and Senthil Kumar
2020). Polyester fabrics are excellent washing and wearing properties. Layered fabrics give major
effects on thermal and moisture properties (Laing et al. 2011). Rib, interlock and single jersey fabrics
have are having wicking rate (Hussain, Nazir, and Masood 2015). Fabric cover factors affect the
moisture management properties (Yanılmaz and Kalaoğlu 2012). Knitted fabric structures with yarn
tuck points, are highly influences the moisture management and thermal properties (Kumar,
Sivagnanam, and Kumar 2020). Eri silk active wear application knitted fabrics like pique and honey
comb structure better absorption rate, fast wetting and maximum wetted radius and excellent over all
moisture management capacity (Kumar et al. 2019). Eri silk pique knitted with smaller loop lengths
has higher thermal performance, and most excellent choice of proper yarn rely might decorate the
wicking characteristics. The observe also discovered that eri silk knitted material has appropriate
consolation properties, which confirms its suitability for mildiciness energetic applications. It is
expected that knitted material created from those yarns has appropriate call for in the global market
place (Senthil Kumar and Ramachandran 2018). Micro-fiber polyester (inner layer) and modal (outer
layer) bi-layer knitted cloth have higher moisture control belongings due to higher wetting time,
excessive wetting radius, excellent absorption fee and excellent spreading velocity of sweat, and as
a result offer excessive stage of comfort (Suganthi and Senthilkumar 2018). In a regular atmospheric
condition and during normal activity levels, the heat produced by the metabolism is liberated to the
atmosphere by conduction, convection and radiation and the body perspires in vapor form to
maintain the body temperature. However, at higher activity levels and/ or at higher atmospheric
temperatures, the production of heat is very high and for the heat transmission from the skin to the
atmosphere to decrease, the sweat glands are activated to produce liquid perspiration as well. The
vapor form of perspiration is known as insensible perspiration and the liquid form as sensible
perspiration (Karthikeyan et al. 2017). Both in hot and cold weather and during normal and high
activity levels, moisture transmission through fabrics plays a major role in maintaining the wearer’s
body at comfort. The thermal comfort of a garment depends on several factors: heat and vapor
transport, sweat absorption and drying ability. For wearer comfort, this sweat should be transported
away from the skin surface, in the form of liquid or vapor, so that the fabric touching the skin feels dry.
The transport of both moisture vapor and liquid away from the body. The main objective of this study
was to investigate the effect of raw material combination and fabrics structure influence the moisture
management and thermal properties.

Materials and methods

Development of fabric
The Tri-layer knitted structures were prepared using 14.3 tex for eri silk, and 14.8 Tex for bamboo and
tencel, 125 denier micro denier polyester yarn used to connect the inner and outer layers of the fabric.
All samples were produced in circular multi-track weft knitting machine (Model: KILM-72 V,
Keumyong knitting machine, Korea) with 34 inches diameter, 82 feeders, 18 gauge and 3840 needles.
The fabric was constructed with outer layer bamboo/tencel yarns and the inner layer made up of eri
silk yarn.
7332 T. SATHISH KUMAR ET AL.

Figure 1. Technical graph for plated interlock knit structures.

Figure 1 shows that the technical graph for plated interlock knit structure. This is a stable fabric
structure with limited crosswise stretch.

Moisture management properties

According to AATCC test method 195–2011, the multi-directional moisture transport capabilities of
fabrics were measured by using Moisture Management Test (MMT) device. The fabric specimen is
placed between two horizontal electrical sensors each with concentric pins. A predetermined amount
of test solution is dropped onto the top center of the fabric specimen surface. The test solution is freely
move on multi-directions, spreads on the fabric top surface, moves through the specimen from top to
bottom surface, and radial spreads on the bottom surface of the specimen. The electrical resistance
values were used to calculate fabric liquid moisture movement that quantifies dynamic liquid moisture
transport behaviors of fabric. In this experiment, the specimens of size 8.0 × 8.0 cm2 were washed and
conditioned for a day in the standard atmospheric conditions before testing. The indices were graded
according to the AATCC 195–2011 method on five grade scale.

Results and discussions

The moisture management result values of eri silk/micro denier polyester/bamboo and eri silk/micro
denier polyester/tencel plated interlock knitted fabrics are shown in Table 1.
Table 1. Moisture management test result values of plated interlock knitted fabrics

Table 1. Moisture management test result values of plated interlock knitted fabrics.
MaximumAccumulative Overall
Wetting Time Absorption Wetted Radius
One-Way Surface Moisture
(sec) Rate (%/sec) (mm/sec) Speed (mm)
Transport Management
Sample Top Bottom Top Bottom Top Bottom Top Bottom Index (AOTI) Capability
S. No. description (WTt) (WTb) ARt (ARb) MWRt MWRb SSt SSb (%) (OMMC)
1 Eri silk/micro 11.51 5.52 11.30 41.30 10.00 20.00 0.94 3.22 421.97 0.77
denier
polyester/
bamboo
plated
interlock
fabric
2 Eri silk/micro 20.41 3.93 14.36 45.63 5.00 20.00 0.62 4.18 508.85 0.85
denier
polyester/
tencel plated
interlock
fabric
 JOURNAL OF NATURAL FIBERS 7333

Figure 2. Wetting time of eri silk/bamboo/micro denier polyester and eri silk/tencel/micro denier polyester plated interlock fabrics.

Wetting time
Figure 2 shows that wetting time of eri silk/bamboo/micro denier polyester and eri silk/tencel/micro
denier polyester plated interlock fabrics. The wetting time of top surface (WTT) and bottom surface
(WTB) are the time period in seconds, in which the top and bottom surfaces of the fabric just start to
get wetted, respectively, after the test started.
Eri Silk fabric was observed to have higher top wetting time than bottom Bamboo-Tencel fabric as
shown in figure. However, the bottom wetting time for tencel fabric was lower compared to bamboo
fabric indicating that the liquid transfers rapidly to the bottom layer. Among these samples eri silk
(14.3 tex) with bamboo (14.8 tex) and tencel (14.8 tex) showed excellent wetting properties. Higher
value of top wetting time and lower value of bottom wetting time for this fabric suggest that the fabric
showed moisture accumulation in top layer and poor liquid moisture transfer in the bottom layer. The
observed difference in top and bottom wetting times for the types of fabrics can be explained by
difference in water absorbency of the two fibers. Results are in accordance with the findings of Long
who suggested that “better the water absorption of the face layer yarn and the poorer that of the back
layer yarn, the more water can be transferred from back to face layer by capillary action.” This may be
due to the fact that liquid has to go through dense of fiber assembly with the resultant thicker fabrics.
The observed phenomenon is in agreement with the earlier reports, as thinner fabric has quick wetting
than thicker ones, for the same amount of liquid drops on to a fabric surface. Eri silk knitted fabrics
also behave in a similar way that the bottom surface of tencel takes more wetting time than bamboo by
the influence of tuck stitches.

Absorption rate
Figure 3 shows that absorption rate (%) of eri silk/bamboo/micro denier polyester and eri silk/tencel/
micro denier polyester plated interlock fabrics. Absorption rates on the top (TAR) and bottom
surfaces (BAR) are the different speed of liquid moisture absorption ability of the specimen, in the
pump time.
Top absorption rate of eri silk (14.3 tex) fabric was observed to be lower and bottom absorption rate
higher bamboo (14.8 tex) and tencel (14.8 tex) fabric as shown in figure14. It is observed that the
bottom layer has low absorption rate than the top layer, which would provide “dry feel to skin,”
thereby indicating that eri silk knit fabrics are suitable to be “skin fit” as well as active wear
applications. Bamboo and tencel owing to the presence of polar bonding sites for water molecules
can absorb large quantity of liquid and hence, exhibits higher bottom absorption rate. However, water
7334 T. SATHISH KUMAR ET AL.

Figure 3. Absorption rate of eri silk/bamboo/micro denier polyester and eri silk/tencel/micro denier polyester plated interlock fabrics.

absorption in the bottom (next to skin) layer causes fiber swelling, thereby blocking the inter fiber
capillaries for liquid transfer to bottom layer by wicking and hence, lower absorption rate for bottom
layer. The increase of porosity in bi-layer structure contributes to the fabric ability in the top surface to
transport moisture quickly. It can be concluded that the sweat is transmitted faster by the eri silk yarn
on the top surface of the bi-layer knitted fabrics bamboo and tencel, where it is in contact with the skin
and transmitted to the bottom surface by diffusion where it is exposed to the outer environment.

Maximum wet radius

Figure 4 shows that Maximum wetted radius of eri silk/bamboo/micro denier polyester and eri silk/
tencel/micro denier polyester plated interlock fabrics. Maximum wetted radius of the knitted fabric
with the equal amount of liquid is also examined. It is observed that the top surface of the fabric has
more MWR than bottom surface, indicating the better moisture properties of eri silk knitted fabrics.
It is observed that the top surface of the fabric has more MWR than bottom surface, indicating the
better moisture properties of eri silk knitted fabrics. The trend of eri knit MWR is observed as top and

Figure 4. Maximum wetted radius of eri silk/bamboo/micro denier polyester and eri silk/tencel/micro denier polyester plated
interlock fabrics.
 JOURNAL OF NATURAL FIBERS 7335

Figure 5. Surface spreading speed of eri silk/bamboo/micro denier polyester and eri silk/tencel/micro denier polyester plated
interlock fabrics.

bottom of tencel and bamboo structures. This result also indicates the positive correlation of vertical
wicking with the maximum wet radius, which is also confirmed by the previous research. The result
shows that, higher the MWR of these plated interlock fabrics; greater will be the evaporation from the
bottom layer and the fabrics take lesser time to evaporate. These plated interlock knitted fabrics
possess quick absorbing and fast-drying ability.

Spreading speed
Figure 5 shows that Surface spreading speed of eri silk/bamboo/micro denier polyester and eri silk/
tencel/micro denier polyester plated interlock fabrics.Higher the bottom maximum wetted radius and
spreading speed of the fabric, greater the evaporation from the bottom layer and lesser time the fabric
takes to dry. Bamboo fabric was observed to have lower values of bottom maximum wetted radius and
spreading speed compared to tencel fabric, the reason being some of the test liquid is absorbed by the
bamboo fibers and penetrate into the fiber structure which results in lower moisture spreading along
tencel fabric. It may be observed that eri silk knitted fabric structures exhibit “good to excellent” grades
in regard to liquid spreading speed, which contributes to quick spreading and faster drying as delineated.

Accumulative one way transport index

Figure 6 shows that Accumulative one way transport index of eri silk/bamboo/micro denier polyester
and eri silk/tencel/micro denier polyester plated interlock fabrics.Accumulative one way transport
index (AOTI) and Overall moisture management capacity (OMMC) values were higher in top of eri
silk (14.3 tex) and bottom layer of bamboo (14.8 tex) and tencel (14.8 tex) fabric. AOIT and OMMC
were higher for top eri silk (14.3 tex) and bottom layer of bamboo (14.8 tex) and tencel (14.8 tex) fabric
owing to higher bottom absorption rate and spreading speed.

Overall moisture management capacity

Figure 7 shows that overall moisture management capacities of eri silk/bamboo/micro denier polyester
and eri silk/tencel/micro denier polyester plated interlock fabrics.Eri silk (14.3 tex) and bottom layer of
bamboo (14.8 tex) and tencel (14.8 tex) fabric was classified as moisture management fabric with
excellent grade for overall moisture management capacity.
7336 T. SATHISH KUMAR ET AL.

Figure 6. Accumulative one way transport index of eri silk/bamboo/micro denier polyester and eri silk/tencel/micro denier polyester
plated interlock fabrics.

Figure 7. Overall moisture management capacities of eri silk/bamboo/micro denier polyester and eri silk/tencel/micro denier
polyester plated interlock fabrics.

Conclusion
The research findings concluded that the plated interlock knitted fabrics with different raw material
combinations of eri silk with bamboo and tencel in top and bottom layers were developed. Fabrics
plated with Eri silk in the top layer with either bamboo and tencel in the bottom layer were moisture
management fabrics, which showed the potential of liquid moisture transfer to bottom layer keeping
active dry. Though both fabrics can be recommended for next-to-skin applications, summer wear,
active wear, however the plated interlock knitted fabricseri silk (14.3 tex) with bamboo (14.8 tex) and
tencel (14.8 tex) fabrics were found on account of superior moisture management properties in the top
layer would be more effective in providing dry feel next to skin. When compare to bamboo combina­
tion eri silk/micro denier polyester/tencel fabrics are excellent accumulative one way transport index
 JOURNAL OF NATURAL FIBERS 7337

and excellent overall moisture management capacity observed reason high absorbency and more
smooth surface structure present in tencel combination. Hence, seems preferred choice of plated
interlock knitted fabrics for the new design/development of products in this field of textiles involves
technological approach. The plated interlock knit fabric provides exclusive comfort to evolve rapidly.

ORCID
C. Prakash http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2472-6765

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