The Vertical and Horizontal Wicking of Water in Fabrics

Abstract

This paper attempts to clarify the term 'wicking' which is the movement of water in the capillaries of a fabric. It differentiates between 'regain', the amount of water vapour a fabric absorbs from the air and the amount of liquid water a fabric holds. The hydrophilic or water-loving and the hydrophobic, or water-hating properties of fibres are discussed in relation to their regain. Finally, the drying times of a wide range of fabrics are discussed in terms of the initial amount of water in the fabric, the regain and fibre type.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 1993
Accession Number
ADA276453

Entities

People

  • Malcolm M. Dewar
  • Rita M. Crow

Organizations

  • Defence Research and Development Canada

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Atmospheres
  • Classification
  • Engineering
  • Fabrics
  • Fibers
  • Finishes
  • Hydrophilic Properties
  • Hydrophobic Properties
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Microvessels
  • Moisture
  • Molecules
  • Natural Fibers
  • Polypropylene
  • Surface Tension
  • Synthetic Fibers
  • Textiles

Readers

  • Educational Psychology
  • Materials Science
  • Reinforced Composite Materials