Electrostatic Properties of Thermal-protective Fabric Systems Part Ⅰ: Simulation of Garment-layer Separation

摘要

An investigation is reported in which a small-scale-test method simulating garment-layer separation was developed to determine the relative electrostatic hazards associated with fabric systems. Experiments were conducted to determine the effect of humidity and conditions of triboelectriflcation (i.e. rubbing speed and pressure) on electrostatic properties. Fabric systems included inner and outer layers consisting of various thermal-protective fabrics. Correlations between data collected by using the new test method and data collected from human subjects removing outer-layer garments were best for systems with a flame-resistant-cotton outer layer at 20% r.h. This suggests that optimum conditions to simulate this activity in a small-scale-test method have not been fully reached. Systems with a flame-resistant-cotton outer layer generated greater charge at 20% r.h. than at 0% r.h., whereas the opposite trend was found for systems with an aramid-fiber/carbon-fiber-core outer layer. Greater differentiation among systems was found at 0% r.h., regardless of the outer-layer fabric in the system.