A. Razzaque, P. Tesinova
Technical University of Liberec,
Czech Republic
Keywords: waterproof, breathability, layered fabric, hydrostatic resistance, water vapour permeability, bending rigidity, tensile strength
Summary:
ANALYSIS OF WATER RESISTANCE AND MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE OF MICROPOROUS POLYURETHANE MEMBRANE LAMINATED WATERPROOF BREATHABLE FABRICS Abdur Razzaque and Pavla Tesinova Faculty of Textile Engineering, Technical University of Liberec, Czech Republic Contact Author/ Speaker: araztm29@yahoo.com Abstract: Waterproof is a term that can be described as the impermeability to water. Waterproof fabrics are resistant to the penetration of water even under pressure. These fabrics have fewer open pores and are less permeable to the passage of water vapour. On the other hand, breathability of a fabric is the ability of clothing to allow moisture vapour transmission from inside to outside atmosphere and hence facilitate evaporative cooling. So, waterproof and breathability are two contradictory properties of a fabric and it is a big challenge to maintain these two properties simultaneously in a fabric. Multi-layered waterproof breathable textile-polymeric fabrics can be produced from various types of water-tight polymeric membranes that are permeable to water vapour. These membranes are of two basic types, like, microporous membranes that are mostly of hydrophobic character and hydrophilic membranes with compact structure. Microporous membranes have holes that are much smaller than the size of the smallest raindrop, yet are much larger than the size of a water vapour molecule. As a result, water droplets cannot penetrate, but water vapour molecules can penetrate. This research study newly designed and prepared microporous polyurethane (PU) membrane laminated fabrics that could be used as sports fabrics. Comel PL/T 1250 Heat and Press Machine was used for producing six different types of laminated fabrics. Firstly, PU membranes were laminated with three different types of polyester plain woven fabrics whose fabric weights and cover factors were different in order to produce two-layered three samples. Here, polyester woven fabrics acted as outer layers and membranes acted as inner layers. And secondly, polyurethane membranes were laminated with those three different types of polyester plain woven fabrics and a one type of single jersey polyester knitted fabric to prepare three-layered three sample fabrics. Here, polyester woven fabrics acted as outer layers, polyurethane membranes acted as middle layers and knitted fabrics acted as inner layers. These fabrics were laminated under heat and pressure treatment of the machine at 160°C temperature with 2 bar pressure for 15 seconds. After preparation of the laminated fabrics, this study focused on assessing the effect of their different fabric characteristic parameters on their water resistance property and water vapour permeability measuring hydrostatic resistance and relative water vapour permeability (RWVP) respectively. Moreover their mechanical properties, i.e., bending rigidity and tensile strength which also play vital roles for the users of outdoor sports fabrics were measured and analyzed. It has been found from the test results and statistical analysis that there are significant influences of different fabric characteristic parameters on their different properties, like, hydrostatic resistance, water vapour permeability as well as bending rigidity and tensile strength. Keywords: Waterproof, breathability, layered fabric, hydrostatic resistance, water vapour permeability, bending rigidity, tensile strength.