Liquid Transport in Fabric Structures

Abstract

Liquid movement in any porous medium is driven by capillary action, which is governed by the liquid's properties, liquid-medium surface interaction, and geometric configurations of the pore structure in the medium. Pore structures of media, partic ularly fibrous materials, are complex and difficult to quantify. This paper discusses wetting and capillary theories and applications of these principles to the analysis of liquid wetting and transport in capillaries and fibrous materials. The derivations for external wetting contact angle and internal liquid transport are confirmed by micro balance measurements of glass capillaries and woven fabrics. The pore area responsible for liquid transport can be derived from mass transport data. This paper reports on the contribution of fiber surface properties and fabric pore structure to liquid transport and retention phenomena in 100% cotton and polyester fabrics.