Thermal protective performance of single-layer rib-knitted structure and its derivatives under radiant heat flux

Abstract

The compact construction of fire-resistant woven clothing designed for radiant heat flux protection limits the air permeability from the skin to the environment that risks thermal stress to the wearer. Knitted fabric is well known for its comfort and transmission properties. The inevitable porosity of the knitted fabric has restrained its application in fire-protective clothing. This study attempts to apply tuck and miss elements of a knitted structure to produce a compact yet comfortable flame-retardant fabric with maximum air permeability. The effect of radiant heat exposure at the intensity of 40 kW/m2 and 61 kW/m2 is analyzed for the designed sample. The tuck and miss stitches are used to modify rib-knitted structure and the second-degree burn time estimated using Stoll’s curve. The findings of this research show that a simple modification of rib structure with incorporation of miss stitch can enhance the second-degree burn time to 30 s at the radiant heat exposure of 40 kW/m2.