Moisture and water control man-made fibers

Abstract

Moisture and water absorption properties of clothes are very important for the excellent wearing comfortability. Moisture-absorbing materials absorb gas-phase water and suppress humidity rise within clothing. Water-absorbing materials absorb and diffuse liquid-phase perspiration, increase the amount of evaporation heat transfer, and expedite the heat dissipation. At one time, many research projects were conducted to provide man-made fibers, which are hydrophobic innately, with moisture and water absorption ability as well as natural fibers. At the present, however, moisture and water absorption abilities of some man-made fibers exceed those of natural fibers. And also, according to the development of assessment technologies of consumption science for wearing comfortability, man-made fibers with excellent moisture and water absorption abilities, which cannot be attained by natural fibers, have been developed and used for sports and inner wears. Specifically, perspiration-absorbent and quick-drying materials, polyacrylate fibers which have 3.5 times larger moisture absorption ability than that of cotton, man-made fibers with improved moisture-absorbing and moisturereleasing abilities, materials with self-controlling functions, and yarn and knitted or woven fabric composite structural materials, are examples. In this chapter, basic scientific knowledge and the evaluation methods of moisture and water absorption, current moisture- and water-absorbing materials, imparting method of these abilities, etc., are presented.