Evaluation of the thermal comfort performance of different knitted fabrics and fibre blends suitable for skin layer

of firefighters protective clothing

Nazia Nawaz, OlgaTroynikov Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia 1Corresponding author: nazia.nawaz@student.rmit.edu.au

Introduction Protective clothing is required to shield the wearers from a variety of hazardous environments or extreme conditions encountered by humans in some industries, military or firefighting. Firefighters protective clothing Firefighters protective clothing plays a vital role for their protection against heat, hot liquids, chemicals and mechanical impacts. The protective clothing facilitates the firefighter to approach the fire to rescue people from fire and to fight the fire. Modern firefighters clothing is a multi-layered garment assembly which is usually worn over an undergarment (skin layer).

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Firefighting and thermal comfort Firefighting is an exhaustive physical task which generates body heat, also in addition extremely hot working environment results in substantial elevation of body core temperature. To reduce that temperature to normal, the body perspires in liquid and vapour form. For better control of body temperature in keeping it a normal level the evaporation of perspiration is necessary. Thermal comfort of human body is maintained by perspiring both in vapour and liquid form and moisture transmission through clothing has a great influence on its thermal comfort

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Firefighting and thermal comfort To provide thermal comfort to the human body the garment next to skin must have three important attributes: to absorb Heat Vapour Liquid perspiration from skin and then transfer these to the outside of the garment Thermal comfort and fabric properties Thermal comfort properties of textile fabrics are actually influenced by the type of fibre spinning method of yarns yarn count yarn twist yarn hairiness fabric thickness, fabric cover factor fabric porosity and finish
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Background Milenkovic et al. (2009) demonstrated that fabric thickness, enclosed still air and external air movement are the major factors that affect the heat transfer through fabric. Ozdil (2007) experimentally verified that yarn properties such as yarn count, yarn twist and spinning process influence thermal comfort properties of 11 rib knitted fabrics. He verified that, The 1 1 rib fabrics produced from finer yarns showed lower thermal conductivity and higher water vapour permeability values than coarser yarns counts. Combed yarn showed the higher water vapour permeability By increasing yarn twist used for 1 1 rib fabrics , thermal and water vapour permeability of the fabrics was also increased. Thermal resistance values decreased as the twist coefficient of yarn increased. Thermal resistance values of fabrics knitted with combed cotton yarns were lower than the fabrics knitted with carded cotton yarns.
Milenkovic, L., Skundric, P., Sokolovic, R., Nikolic, T., (1999). "comfort Properties of Defence Protective clothing." The scientific Journal Facta Universities 1(4): 101-106. zdil, N., A. MarmaralI, et al. (2007). "Effect of yarn properties on thermal comfort of knitted fabrics." International Journal of Thermal Sciences 46(12): 1318-1322.

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Background Arzu Marmarali (2009) studied thermal comfort properties of blended yarns and knitted fabrics of Cotton /Soybean fibres and Cotton/Seacell fibres in different blend ratios and found that, The thermal resistance value of 100% cotton fabric was significantly higher than whole blended materials. 50/50% blend ratio of both fabrics (Co/Seacell, Co/Soybean) had the lowest thermal resistance values than the other blend ratios and that was due to lower fabric thickness value of 50/50% Co/SeaCell and Co/Soybean fabrics. Therefore with the decreasing of fabric thickness, thermal resistance decreases. Troynikov et.al (2011) studied moisture management properties of wool/ polyester and wool/bamboo knitted in single jersey fabrics for the sportswear base layers and concluded that, Blending wool fibre with polyester fibre and, in particular, wool fibre with regenerated bamboo fibre, improved moisture management properties than fabrics in wool fibre or regenerated bamboo fibre without blending.
Troynikov, O., et all, Wiah, W., (2011). "Moisture management properties of wool/polyester and wool/bamboo knitted fabrics for sportswear base layer." Textile Research Journal 0: 1-11. Arzu Marmarali, M. B., Tuba Bedez Ute, Gozde Damci (2009). Thermal comfort Properties of Blended Yarns Knitted Fabrics. ITMC. Casablanca, Morocco.

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Objective of the study The Objective of present study is: To evaluate thermal and moisture management properties of six commercially available knitted fabrics of different fibre blends and knitted structures for skin layer garments of firefighters protective clothing The assessment and ranking of their thermal and moisture management performance.

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Materials and methods Following are six commercially available knitted fabrics having different fibre content and knit structure that were evaluated 100% Merino wool 60% Merino Wool/ 40% Bamboo 100%Cotton 94% Merino wool/ 6% spandex 100%Polyester 52% Merino wool / 48% Biophyl

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Fabric physical properties Fabric mass per unit area (gram / meter square) Fabric thickness (mm) Fabric density (No. of wales/cm and No. of courses/cm) Fabric Moisture management properties For evaluation of fabrics moisture management properties Moisture Management Tester (MMT) was used according to American Association of Textile Chemists and Colourists (AATCC) Test Method 1952009.

Figure 1. Moisture management tester

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Figure 2. Schematic view of tester sensors

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Moisture management tester indices A series of indexes are defined and calculated to characterize liquid moisture management performance of the test sample by using moisture management tester, which are as follow; Top wetting time WTt and bottom wetting time WTb Top absorption rate (ARt) and bottom absorption rate (ARb) Top max wetted radius (MWRt) and bottom max wetted radius (MWRb) Top spreading speed (SSt) and bottom spreading speed (SSb) Accumulative one-way transport index (AOTI) and overall moisture management capacity (OMMC)

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Moisture management tester indices

The OMMC is an index indicating the overall capacity of the fabric to manage the transport of liquid moisture, which includes three aspects 1. Average moisture absorption rate at the bottom surface 2. One-way liquid transport capacity 3. Maximum moisture spreading speed on the bottom surface The larger the OMMC is the higher the overall moisture management ability of the fabric is. According to AATCC Test Method 1952009, the indices are graded and converted from value to grade based on a five grade scale (15). The five grades of indices represent: 1 Poor 2 Fair 3 Good 4 Very good 5 Excellent

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Table 1. Grading of MMT indices

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Fabric thermal properties (Thermal and water vapour resistance) Thermal resistance and water vapour resistance of fabrics were evaluated using sweating guarded hot plate according to ISO 11092. Sweating guarded hot plate is able to simulate both heat and moisture transfer from the body surface through the clothing layers to the environment. It measures both the thermal resistance (insulation value) and water vapour resistance of fabrics.

Figure 3. Sweating Guarded Hot Plate

Figure 4. Schematic diagram of sweating guarded hot plate

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Fabrics thermal resistance For the determination of thermal resistance of the sample, the air temperature is set to 20 rC and the relative humidity is controlled at 65%. Air speed generated by the air flow hood is 1 m/s. After the system reaches steady state, total thermal resistance of the fabric is governed by:

Rct ! A(Ts  Ta ) / H

(1)

Where, Rct is the total thermal resistance plus the boundary air layer measured in m K/W, A, the area of the test section in m Ts, the surface temperature of the plate in K Ta, the temperature of ambient air in K H, the electrical power in Watts

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Fabrics water vapour resistance To measure the water vapour resistance of the fabric air temperature is set at 35 rC and relative humidity is controlled at 40%.After a steady state is reached, the total evaporative resistance of the fabric is calculated by:

Re t ! ( Ps  Pa ) / H

(2)

Where, Ret, is total vapour resistance provided by liquid barrier, fabric and boundary air layer measured in m2KPa/W) A, the area of test section in m2 Ps, the water vapour pressure at plate surface in Pa Pa, the water vapour pressure of the air on Pa H, the electrical power in Watts

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Results and discussion

Table 2. Physical and structural properties of sample fabrics Fabric code SJ1 SJ2 Fibre composition 100% Merino wool 60% Merino Wool/ 40% Bamboo 100%Cotton 94% Merino wool/ 6% spandex 100%Polyest er 52% Merino wool / 48% Biophyl Construction Fabric weight (g/m2) 139 156 Fabric thickness (mm) 0.35 0.34 No. of wales/c m 18 16 No. of courses /cm 18 16

Single Jersey Single Jersey

SJ3 SJ4

Single Jersey Single Jersey

149 185

0.47 0.55

19 20

15 20

IM1

Interlock based mock mesh

168

0.61

16

16

IM2

Interlock based mock mesh

216

0.97

16

12

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Results and discussion Moisture Management Properties of sample fabrics

Table 3. MMT results in value
Fabric code WTt (sec) WTb (sec) ARt (%/sec) ARb (%/sec) MWRt (mm) MWRb (mm) SSt (mm/sec) SSb (mm/sec) AOTI (%) OMMC

SJ1 CV SJ2 CV SJ3 CV

63.312 1.265 7.883 0.071 41.255 0.249

50.515 1.343 5.000 0.137 5.416 0.979

3.671 1.414 8.152 0.236 8.061 0.194

5.117 0.290 5.925 0.114 14.286 0.276

2.5 1.414 12.5 0.282 13.33 3 0.216 5 0 7.5 0.471 0 0

5 1.414 12.5 0.282 13.333 0.216

0.365 1.414 1.286 0.097 0.349 0.419

0.959 1.414 3.102 0.098 1.600 0.614

319.182 0.011 133.396 0.251 102.118 0.394

0.448 0.112 0.379 0.030 0.244 0.383

SJ4 CV IM1 CV IM2 CV

3.281 1.084 30.617 1.165 119.953 0

29.274 1.064 47.063 1.242 3.835 0.250

7.153 0.046 39.894 0.953 0 0

6.853 0.181 5.200 0.548 5.069 0.561

10 0 7.5 0.471 7.5 0.471

3.131 1.035 0.947 1.280 0 0

1.154 0.043 0.941 1.329 0.898 0.091

500.714 0.033 102.399 0.283 434.105 0.184

0.521 0.057 0.203 0.397 0.487 0.036

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Results an
5 4 Gra e 3 2 1

iscussion

Figure 5
35 25 Gra e 15 05 S 1 1 1

Tt and

Tb grades of sample fabrics

3 2 1 0

S 2 1 1

S 3 1 2

S 4 1 1

Top Rt grade ottom Rb grade

Figure 6
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Rt and Rb (%/sec) grades of sample fabrics

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ottom

Tb

rade

35

35

IM1 3 1

IM2 1 1

Top

Tt

rade

S 1

S 2

S 3

S 4

IM1 2

IM2 15

Results and discussion

. 2. Grade 2 1. 1 0. 0 To M Rt gra e R gra e S 1 1 1 S 2 2. 2. S S 1 2 IM1 1. 1. IM2 1 1.

ottom M

Figure 7. M Rt an M R (mm) gra es of sam le fa rics

. 2. Grade 2 1. 1 0. 0 To SSt mm sec gra e ottom SS mm sec gra e S 1 1 1 S 2 1. . S 1 2 S . 2 IM1 1 1 IM2 1 1

Figure 8. SSt an SS (mm sec) gra es of sam le fa rics

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Results and discussion

Grade

0 A TI MM

S 2 2

S 2

IM 2

IM2

Figure 9. A TI

and

MM grades for sample fabrics

These results show that S , S and IM2 have better moisture management properties as compared to the other sample fabrics of the study. These three fabrics are composed of 00 wool, wool/spandex and wool/biophyl and having single jersey structures

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Results and discussion

Thermal properties (Thermal and vapour resistance)

Mean Rct 0.0 0.0 0.02 Mean Rct 0.02 0.01 0.01 0.00 0 S 1 S 2 S 0.00 0.008 0.00

(m /

0.02

0.011

0.01

S Fabric code

IM1

IM2

Figure 10. Thermal resistance (Rct) of sample fabrics

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Results an

is ussi n

Mean Ret

a/

Mean Ret

2.0 2

2. 2

2.

2.8

0 SJ SJ2 SJ Fab i SJ e IM IM2

Figure

ater vapour resistance Ret of sample fabrics

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Conclusion The results and discussions demonstrate that wool and wool blends are the most suitable fabric to be used next to skin to achieve thermal comfort The fibre content, fabric construction and fabric thickness influence thermal comfort significantly. Therefore it can be concluded that 100% wool and wool blends with spandex and bamboo (SJ1, SJ2 and SJ4) in single jersey structure are more suitable to use next to skin than SJ4, IM1 and IM2. 100% cotton in single jersey structure can also be a good choice because it has lower thermal and water vapour resistance like SJ1, SJ2, and SJ3 but not in extremely hot environments like firefighting where body perspires heavily in liquid form and cotton is unable to provide better liquid moisture transfer properties like wool and wool blends to keep skin dry.

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