Clothing Penetration Mechanism

The penetration of a liquid drop through a barrier fabric into a receiver material consisting of a 50/50 polythylene terephthalete/cotton knit was studied for 25 pure liquids representing a large range of physico-chemical properties and 4 plain weave barrier fabrics (rayon, poly-benzimidazole, polyethylene terephthalate, and polypropylene). The experiments were performed with constant drop volume, minimal deposition energy, constant barrier-receiver contact pressure, and constant penetration time. The contact angles of the liquids with the barrier polymers were determined by single fiber wettability studies. The penetration studies showed that extremely careful control and observation of all experimental parameters are necessary. The amount of liquid, the wettability of the barrier fabric, the evaporation rate of the liquid, and the barrier-receiver contact pressure.