Evaluation Method for the Water Transport Properties of Sweat Absorbent Fabrics - Water Vapour Transport in the of Human-Clothing-Environment System -

첨단 흡수속건소재의 수분전달 특성 평가방법에 관한 연구 - 인체-의복-환경 System에서의 투습성 평가 -

The purpose of this study was to design an instrument to simulate the Human-Clothing-Environment system and evaluate the water vapour transport properties of sweat absorbent PET fabrics. The instrument was composed of sweat generating part, clothing part which can simulate clothing layers, and enviromental part. As specimens, sweat absorbent PET, regular PET, cotton, nylon and acrylics fabrics were included. For the water vapour transport(WVT), relative humidities and temperatures were measured by film type humidity sensors and thermocouples, respectively. Water vapour pressures were calculated with measured RH's and temperatures. For the liquid water transport, wickability and demand wettability were measured. Results showed that there was a difference in terms of water vapour transport mechanism depending on the fiber type ; sweat absorbent PET showed higher WVT at the transient period then equilibrated, whereas other fabrics showed lower WVT at the transient period then increased continuously. These differences are expected to affect to the difference in the comfort properties of clothings. Sweat absorbent PET showed higher demand wettability and wickability than other fabrics. Wide application of the instrument was also suggested.