Developments in moisture management

1. Sensing and responding textiles:

# Temperature trigger: Fabrics made from thermo-regulating fibres
(PCM fabrics)in which millions of micro-thermal spheres are incorporated
will absorb, store, distribute and release heat in response to the body’s
comfort needs. The micro-thermal spheres create a dynamic thermal barrier
which regulates the micro-climate next to the skin thus maintaining warmth
and comfort despite changes in the outside temperature.
A technology which grafts thermo-responsive ploy(N-
isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM)polymer onto the surfaces of cotton, nylon,
polyester and polystyrene using atmospheric plasma treatment for the
development of smart garments. PNIPAM swells and the fibre diameter
increases at temperatures below 32degree and shrinks at temperature above
32degree.As a result the pore size in the fabric decreases and increases at
low and high ambient temperatures respectively.
 Developments in moisture management
1. Sensing and responding textiles:
# Humidity trigger: The change of shape induced by moisture in
botanical structures such as the pine cone(bio-mimetics) inspired the
design of a fabric capable of adapting its air permeability in response to
changes of humidity in the micro-climate of the clothing system.
A UK based company has invented a method
of constructing bio-responsive fibres and yarns that react to humidity
levels in a micro-climate.
 Developments in moisture management
2. Fabric with pore size gradient:
The larger sized capillaries present in the inner layer of the fabric rapidly
transport liquid moisture away from the skin to the outer layer where the smaller
capillaries, due to high capillary pressure, siphon the water rapidly to the fabric
outer surface for evaporation. This fabric is claimed to be suitable for athletic wear.
3. Fibres with nano-structured surface:
ProwikR is a knitted fabric made from nylon fibres with an engineered nano
channel helix section and/or an engineered two-sided denier gradient. The fabric is
suitable for the inner layer in cold weather especially for high aerobic activities.
It is claimed to be more efficient in moisture management,
breathability and the transport of perspiration away from the skin to the outer
layers for evaporation.
 Developments in moisture management
4. Cocona imbedded fibres and Cocona filaments:
An innovative technology incorporating activated carbon derived from
recycled coconut shells into nylon and polyester polymers. The coconut pore
structure is very complex and the size of the pores is very even. These pores
adsorb moisture, odours and UV rays and through the exothermic adsorption
process, they cause moisture to evaporate quickly.
Garments containing Cocona activated carbon show 45% greater
wickability and significantly higher drying rates(due to3D surface area)
Than garments with conventional moisture management technologies.
Cocona filaments consisting of 66% polyester(150D/144F) and
34%coco carbon(75D/72) and caters to the market for cycling shorts and
shirts. This fabrics have improved moisture management, protection from
infra red rays and removal of odours.
 Developments in moisture management
5. Mixture of hydrophilic and hydrophobic fibres:
Hydroweave is a three-layer composite fabric combining
hydrophilic and hydrophobic fibres into a fibrous core of batting. The
batting is sandwiched between a breathable outer shell fabric and a
thermally conductive inner lining.
 Developments in moisture management
6. 100% cotton fabrics:
100% cotton fabrics are their high absorbency and slowness of
drying which cause a sensation of wetness.Absorbency may be reduced
by treating the cotton with fluro-polymers,silicones and waxes etc.
Transdry is a double knitted 100% cotton fabric with an
untreated cotton layer on the outside of the fabric and treated cotton
against the skin.
It claims to provide better moisture transfer than do synthetic
fabrics.
 Wicking Test
• Wicking can take place either around the body to allow a greater area for
evaporation on through the fabric away from the skin.
• Wicking is a fabric’s capacity for moving perspiration off skin to speed its
evaporation.
• In this test a strip of fabric is suspended vertically with its lower edge in a
reservoir of distilled water.
• The rate of rise of the leading edge of the water is then monitored.
• To detect the position of the water line a dye can be added to the water or in the
case of dark coloured fabrics the conductivity of the water may be used to
complete an electrical circuit.
• The measured height of rise in a given time is taken as a direct indication of the
wickability of the test fabric.
• Measure performance in both warp and weft direction.
The principles for cold weather clothing
• The insulation of clothing is the main factor in maintaining a thermal
balance in cold weather and also allow moisture control and flexibility
is required for active work. Such clothing is based on three layers with
distinct functions and properties-inner layer, middle layer and outer
layer.
• The inner layer is worn close to the skin in order to reduce skin
convection and eventually control moisture.
• The middle layer has primerily an insulating function and its thickness
and design can vary accordingly.It can be composed of several pieces
of garments.
 The principles for cold weather clothing
• The outer layer protects against environmental factors such as wind,
precipitation,mechanical abrasion, chemicals,particles and similar
hazards.
• Design of a functional multi-layer clothing system must take account
of low internal friction between layers, minimal bulk and low weight
while the clothing must not interfere with body motion.
 Water and wind resistant clothing
• It is seen that human body temperature can be lost by various
method. Especially in a very cold weather and air blowing condition,
temperature of human body can be lost very quickly. In a cold
weather a person riding bicycle can loss temperature very quickly.
Under this circumstances, the person should cover his entire body by
clothing otherwise his life will be at risk. The design of the clothing
should be such that the warmth of body should not pass through the
opening areas of the clothing. That means the clothing must be wind
resistance.
 Water and wind resistant clothing
• When clothing worn in cold & wet weather, due to wet air heat lost
from human body by conduction method increases rapidly. If in cold
& wet weather air blowing starts, heat loss from human body
increases more rapidly. Normally water resistant clothing is also wind
resistant. Many type of water & wind resistant clothing are available
in the market. Cotton ventile is a water &wind resistant fabric. It is
made of very compactly woven cotton fabric. When wetted swelling
occurs in the cotton fibres, hence becomes more compact, as a result
water molecule can not pass through the fabric. This type of fabric is
used for making raincoat.
 Water and wind resistant clothing
• Water molecules in a vapor form can pass through the cotton ventile
fabric, hence during hard work wearing cotton ventile clothing
possibility of sweating is reduced. Sweating will occur in clothing
made from coated fabric as because vapor can not pass through the
coated fabric. More over PVC & neoprene coated fabric are not
damaged by abrasion but polyurethane coated fabric is damaged by
abrasion, specifically in a very cold weather stability of polyurethane
coated fabric & clothing is very poor.
 Water and wind resistant clothing
• As a water & wind resistant clothing Gortex is the latest clothing
which is available in the market. Gortex clothing is made from multi
layer fabrics of which central layer if finished with PTFE coated.The
outer layer& inner layer fabrics are of different construction & weight.
The specialty of this clothing is that the central coated layer fabric
contains numerous very fine micro holes which may be upto 10^9
holes per square inch. These micro holes allows water molecules to
pass through in vapor form hence sweating by condensation of water
molecules present in the worm air in between body surface &
clothing can be avoided. On the other hand,water molecules can not
pass through those micro holes as a result Gortex is more effective &
comfortable as a water & wind resistant clothing.
 Waterproof Breathable Fabrics
• The existence of the problem of the lack of water vapour permeability in
waterproof fabrics has led to the development of waterproof breathable
fabrics.
• One approach to producing such a fabric is to use membranes attached to
the fabric or coating on the fabric which are waterproof but which will
allow moisture vapour to pass through.
• It is possible to achieve this because of the enormous difference in size
between a water droplet and a water vapour molecule. A water droplet has
a size of around 100µm whereas a water vapour molecule has a size of
around0.0004µm. If therefore, a membrane or fabric can be produced with
pore sizes between these two limits it will then have the desired properties.
 Waterproof Breathable Fabrics
• Another approach is to use a coating or membrane made from a
hydrophilic film without any pores. The moisture is absorbed by the
membrane and then transported across it by diffusion, evaporating
when it reaches the outer surface. The driving force for the diffusion
is provided by the body temperature which ensures that the water
passes out even when it is raining.
• A third approach is to use a tightly woven fabric. One of the original
waterproof breathable fabrics, ventile was produced in this way by
using tightly woven special cotton yarns which swelled when wet thus
closing any gaps in the fabric. The production of fine microfibres has
allowed the production of fabrics that are woven sufficiently tightly to
keep liquid water out.