Abstract
As important factors determining human sensorial comfort, liquid moisture management and surface properties of heat resistant workwear materials were examined. To figure out liquid moisture management properties of the test materials, absorption capacity, rate of absorption, and evaporation properties were assessed. A modified GATS(Gravimetric Absorbency Testing System) was used to measure the liquid moisture accumulation associated with the wicking of liquid moisture from sweating skin. The GATS procedure measures demand wettability of materials to take up liquid in a direction perpendicular to the fabric surface and it was modified to incorporate a special test cell and cover to assess absorption behavior in the presence of evaporation. Fabric stiffness, smoothness, number and the length of surface fibers, and an estimate of the contact area between the skin and fabric surface were measured to characterize the mechanical and surface properties of the test materials. Also an estimate of the force with which a fabric clings to moist skin was made using as wet-cling index.