The Effect of Heat-Setting on the Bending Behavior of Woven Fabrics

Abstract

Fabrics woven from synthetic fibers are usually heat-set in order to improve their hand and other performance characteristics. During the heat-setting process, the inter-yarn forces are relaxed and, as a consequence, the bending hysteresis of the fabric is reduced. An experimental method is described that permits the continuous measurement of the bending hysteresis of fabrics over a range of temperatures up to the melting point of the polymer. By this means, the variations of fabric properties during the heat-setting process may be followed and compared with measurements made on fabrics that have been heat-set and allowed to cool. Results are presented for nylon, Dacron, polypropylene, and Nomex fabrics, and the significance of the various behavior characteristics is discussed.

Keywords

Dacron fabric (TN)polyester fabric Nomex fabric (TN)nylon fabric polypropylene fabric synthetic-fiber fabrics. Heat. Load bending moment curvature elastica configuration temperature set. Relaxation friction coefficient bending rigidity bending hysteresis bending modulus fabric stiffness crease recovery tension shrinkage inter-fiber adhesion. Bending behavior. Heat-setting bending bending-hysteresis tester.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Brenner, F.C. , Chen, C.S. , and Britt, D.G. , The Mechanical Behavior of Fabrics, Textile Res. J. 36, 216-220 (1966).

Kilby, W.F. , Shear Properties in Relation to Fabric Hand, Textile Res. J. 31, 72-73 (1961).

Livsey, R.G. and Owen, J.F. , Cloth Stiffness and Hysteresis in Bending , J. Textile Inst. 55, T516-T550 ( 1964).

Owen, J.D. , The Bending Behavior of Plain Weave Fabrics Woven from Spun Yarns, J. Textile Inst. 59, T313-T343 ( 1968).

Popper, P. and Backer, S. , Instrument for Measuring Bending Moment-Curvature Relationships in Textile Materials, Textile Res. J. 38, 870-873 (1968).

Shishoo, R.L. and Olofsson, B. , The Effects of Heat-Setting on the Geometry and Shear Behavior of Dacron Polyester-Fiber and Nylon Fabrics, J. Textile Inst. 60, T211-T222 ( 1969).

Skelton, J. , The Measurement of the Bending Elastic Recovery of Filaments, J. Textile Inst. 56, T454-T464 ( 1965).

Skelton, J. , A. Theoretical and Experimental Investigation of the Crease Recovery of Plain-Weave Fabrics Woven from Staple Yarns, J. Textile Inst. 59, T261-T284 ( 1968).

Spivak, S.M. and Treloar, L.R.G. , The Behavior of Fabrics in Shear, Textile Res. J. 37, 1038-1049 (1967).