Moisture management of underwear fabrics and linings of firefighter protective clothing assemblies

Abstract

Thermal comfort of firefighters is strongly dependent on moisture management of clothing layers closest to the skin. This study centers on liquid moisture and moisture vapor transfer across various types of underwear fabrics and innermost layers of the firefighter intervention jacket (linings). Importance of the underwear neighboring layer in liquid moisture and moisture vapor transfer and hence, in thermal comfort of a firefighter is underlined and discussed. Moisture management tester is employed as an efficient tool in evaluating a transfer of liquid moisture not only through individual underwear fabric but also through bi-layers underwear lining. Moisture vapor transfer properties of mono- and bi-layer fabrics were investigated by evaporative dish method. The results show that moisture management performances of tested mono- and bi-layer fabrics are related to their composition and the general physical properties. Composition of both underwear and lining has a crucial impact on liquid moisture transfer through bi-layers. Transfer of moisture vapor is mainly governed by fabric physical properties. Combination of natural and synthetic fibers results in best performing fabrics with regard to the moisture management.