Effect of Lycra Weight Percent and Loop Length on Thermo-physiological Properties of Elastic Single Jersey Knitted Fabric

Abstract

The aim of this work is to estimate the effect of loop length and Lycra weight percent (Lwp) on the geometrical and thermo-physiological comfort of elastic plain knitted fabric. Fifty single jersey knitted fabric samples were produced at five levels of Lycra weight percent (Lwp) (4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, and 8%) and loop length (2.7 mm, 2.9 mm, 3.1 mm, 3.3 mm, and 3.4 mm) with full plaited (fp) and half plaited (hp) of bare Lycra. The thermo-physiological comfort properties (thermal conductivity, absorptivity, and water vapor permeability), air permeability, and geometrical properties were measured at standard of each one. The results showed that the elastic single jersey knitted fabric thickness ranged between 3.12 times and 4.2 times of the yarn diameter (d). The fabric thickness increased when loop length is increased and decreased when Lwp is increased. The thermal conductivity, absorptivity, and water vapor resistance (WVR) decreased with Lwp increasing.

Keywords

• thermo-physiological comfort properties
• lycra weight percent
• elastic knitted fabric
• fabric thickness
• thermal conductivity
• water vapor resistance
• full plaited
• half plaited