Characterization of Sweat Drying Performance of Single Layered Thermal Protective Fabrics Used in High-Risk Sector Workers’ Clothing

Abstract

Absorption and transportation of moisture from sweat are the crucial properties of the fabrics used in performance clothing. Sweat moisture is a significant factor that may cause discomfort to the wearer. The majority of the injuries and fatalities that happen to the high-risk sector workers in their line of duty may be caused by inadequate comfort provided by the protective uniform. The purpose of this study is to scientifically investigate the sweat drying performance of the different protective fabrics used in high-risk sectors’ workers’ clothing. Firstly, this study experimentally analyzed the sweat drying of protective fabrics with different attributes under various ambient environments and wearers’ internal physiology. Secondly, this study explained the phenomena of sweat drying in protective fabric through the theory of heat and mass transfer. Sweat drying performance of the fabrics used in functional clothing mainly depends on the evaporative resistance regardless of the presence of water and oil repellent coating on the fabric surface. The drying performance increases with the increased wetted area and increased air flow. The wetted area depends on the absorption and wicking properties of the fabrics. The findings of this research will advance the field by developing knowledge on sweat drying performance of fabrics used in protective clothing; in turn, this could provide better comfort and safety to high-risk sectors’ workers.