Jt. Finn et al., Effects of imposing a temperature gradient on moisture vapor transfer through water resistant breathable fabrics, TEXT RES J, 70(5), 2000, pp. 460-466
Very often outerwear apparel is made of water resistant yet breathable fabr
ics, and normally these fabrics have multilayer structures of various polym
eric materials. The working mechanisms of water vapor transmission through
these fabrics are not well understood. The rate at which these breathable f
abrics are able to transmit water vapor is most often measured under standa
rd textile testing conditions of 20 degrees C and 65% relative humidity, bu
t these tests are often little better than useless in predicting a fabric's
performance under "real" conditions. The experiments described in this pap
er are designed to test breathable fabrics under more realistic conditions.
Water is heated to 33 degrees C in order to simulate a sweating body, and
the rate at which the vapor is transmitted through various breathable fabri
cs is measured. Experiments involve ambient temperatures of 6, 10, 15, and
20 degrees C, with the relative humidity held at a constant 65% throughout.