Effect of Wool Components in Pile Fabrics on Water Vapor Sorption, Heat Release, and Humidity Buffering

Abstract

This report describes an experimental approach for and results from measurements of the effect of wool fibers on thermal effects related to moisture sorption and desorption for several wool-containing fabrics, pile fabrics, and wool blend materials. Commercially successful polyester pile fabrics are undergoing further development to add wool fibers into one or more of the pile faces to take advantage of the natural thermal and water vapor regulation properties of wool. Wool clothing actively generates heat when moved from a warm and dry indoor environment to cold and wet outdoor conditions. This is due to the readjustment of water vapor content within wool fibers to maintain equilibrium with the local microclimate.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 2008
Accession Number
ADA482042

Entities

People

  • Phillip Gibson

Organizations

  • United States Army Soldier Systems Center

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems
  • Sensors

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Climate Change
  • Clothing
  • Desorption
  • Environment
  • Fabrics
  • Fibers
  • Gas Flow
  • Heat Flux
  • Heat Transmission
  • Materials
  • Measurement
  • Polyester Fibers
  • Polyesters
  • Sorption
  • Surface Temperature
  • Vapors
  • Water Vapor

Readers

  • Polymer Science and Engineering.
  • Thermal Physics or Thermal Science.