When you buy sportswear in a sporting wear stores, a salesperson may tell you that yoga clothes are made of moisture-wicking fabrics. When you feel the superiority of moisture wicking fabrics, you may be curious, what is the performance principle of moisture wicking functional fabrics?
There are three main ways for water vapor to pass through the fabric: one is that the water vapor diffuses through the micropores in the fabric; the other is that the fiber absorbs moisture by itself and escapes at a place where the water vapor pressure of the fabric is lower; and the third is that a large number of water molecules will produce condensation. It diffuses through capillary action, and more evaporation occurs where the water vapor pressure is low. The moisture absorbed, transmitted, and escaped through the fiber is related to the fiber used in the fabric, the amount of moisture absorption, the degree of expansion, and the pores and channels in the fiber.
Moisture wicking fabrics require non-absorbent fabrics to have both water absorption and quick-drying properties. Polyester fiber has a highly crystalline molecular chain structure. This structure makes polyester have the shortcomings of low water absorption and poor moisture permeability in terms of moisture absorption performance, but this makes it have quite excellent quick-drying ability. Natural fibers such as cotton, a large number of voids in the fiber structure make it excellent in terms of moisture absorption, but the swelling effect after water absorption strengthens the holding power of moisture, resulting in defects in fast-drying performance.
Generally speaking, moisture wicking fabrics use the capillary phenomenon generated by the micro grooves on the surface of the fiber to make sweat quickly migrate to the surface of the fabric and volatilize through the effects of wicking, diffusion, and transmission, so as to achieve moisture-transmitting and quick-drying. purpose. It can be said that the capillary effect is the most commonly used and most intuitive method, which can show the sweat absorption and diffusion ability of fabrics. Some people also call moisture wicking fibers as breathable fibers, which are functional fibers that focus on moisture absorption, perspiration, and underwear comfort.
