UV protection performance of textiles affected by fiber cross-sectional shape. Issue 18 (November 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yu, Yao; Hurren, Christopher; Millington, Keith; Sun, Lu; Wang, Xungai
• Is Part Of: Textile research journal. Volume 85:Issue 18(2015)
• Page Start: 1946
• Page End: 1960
• Publication Date: 2015-11
• Subjects: optical model -- ultraviolet protection -- fiber cross-section -- fiber cross-sectional shape; Textile industry -- Periodicals; Textile fabrics -- Periodicals; Textile research -- Periodicals; Textiles et tissus -- Industrie et commerce -- Périodiques; Textiles et tissus -- Périodiques; Textiles et tissus -- Recherche -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 677.005
• DOI: 10.1177/0040517515578335
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0040-5175

Abstract

In this study, a model was set up for simulating the effects of varying fiber cross-sectional shapes on ultraviolet protection of fibers. The fiber diameter and fiber type were also involved in the model setting. Experiments of diffuse reflectance spectra measurement on natural (wool, cotton, silk), regenerated (bamboo viscose) and synthetic (polyester, nylon) fibers were conducted to verify the model predicted results. When a more complex shape was assumed as the fiber cross-section for model calculation, the predicted results have a better agreement with the actual results. The effects on ultraviolet absorption from fibers with different cross-sectional shapes were investigated at a single fiber, fiber bundle and yarn levels. With the same material, when the fiber cross-sectional area and the areal coverage of a single fiber were constant, the triangular shape had the lowest ultraviolet transmittance and the highest ultraviolet reflectance for a single fiber and also for a fiber bundle. The difference of fiber cross-sectional shapes was also significant in the ultraviolet protection of a single yarn.