Water transport on interlaced yarns

Abstract

In this study, water transport on different interlacing conditions of yarns was investigated in order to simulate the effect of yarn crimp on water migration in woven fabrics. An apparatus was designed to simulate the interlacing condition of one set of yarns, and the water transport distance versus time can be obtained. With the apparatus, the effect of twist on the water transport of interlaced cotton yarns was explored. The results showed that for higher twisted yarns, the water transport distance was shorter than that for lower twisted ones. For higher twisted yarns, in spite of the same outward appearance, the actual water transport route was longer. Moreover, with the apparatus, the interlacing angle can be changed from 0o to 180o at 20o intervals, and the effect of the interlacing angle was explored, which can be applied to simulate yarn crimp in woven fabric. The water transport at interlacing angles of 40o, 80o, 120o, and 160o was discussed, and we found that the interlacing angle decreased the water transport distance in weft yarns because of the decreased contact distance. It can be concluded that the twist and interlacing angle had an important effect on water transport in interlaced yarns. This study is a basic study for research on the mechanism of water transport, and it shows understanding of the relationship between the fabric structure and its physical property. It can be applied not only for woven fabrics, but also for knitted fabrics, braids, and some other fiber assemblies.