Fiber-yarn-fabric relationships in cotton/dyneema fabrics

摘要

100 percent cotton fabrics have been commonly used for out door tent applications because cotton has many natural advantages, such as good breathability, high wet strength, pore space reduction in wet condition due to natural swelling, and ability to provide additional functional performance such as fire retardance through chemical treatments. One known drawback, however, is its high weight-to-strength ratio. To address this drawback, researchers at USDA (Sawhney, et al 1989, Sawhney, et al 1991, Harper and Ruppenicker, 1987, Radhakrishnaiah and Sawhney, 1996, and Ruppenicker et al, 1989) suggested blending of small percentages of synthetic fibers. In particular, it has been shown that blending of Dyneema (a low density polyethylene fiber) with cotton offers many advantages. The yarns and fabrics containing small percentages of Dyneema were shown to offer superior durability properties (Sawhney, et al 1989). The present work focuses on the influence of Dyneema content on nondurability propertiessuch as airpermeability, water vapor transmission, thermal energy dissipation, etc. It also attempts to develop empirical relationships to predict selected yarn and fabric performance properties from blend composition. Other specific objectives of this work are: 1. Understand the influence of Dyneema content on stiffness, and breathability. 2. Develop regression equations to predict durability properties of fabrics representing different Dyneema contents. 3. Study the inter-relationships between air permeability and water vapor diffusion resistance. 4. Understand the influence of within yarn fiber arrangement and yam structural parameters on the yam physical and mechanical properties. 5. Understand the influence of fiber arrangement and yarn structureon the durability, breathability, stiffness, and thermal properties of the fabrics. 6. Establish relationships between yarn and fabric tensile properties.