The enjoyment of wearing clothes depends on many circumstances. From the hygienic properties of the fabric in particular.
A man wears some products for years and it is impossible for him to part with them, while others hang almost intact in a closet. Several indicators form a sense of comfort, one of which is hygroscopicity. What is it?
Theory
Hygroscopicity of a material is its ability to absorb moisture and give it away. The ancient Greek origin has the word, "observation of moisture" means it is literally translated.
It takes into account hygroscopicity, the absorption of only water with materials that are sprayed in the form of steam in the air. The air around us has a certain humidity - they even talk about it in the weather forecast. Some fibers, absorbing water, often change their properties. Clothing and shoes due to hygroscopicity can even get wet without rain.
Hygroscopicity what is it? It is comfort
The moisture content is used to evaluate the degree of hygroscopicity. It depends to a large extent on the conditions for its determination:
- Actual humidity is called usual in the understanding of buyers. Under existing conditions, it shows the moisture content (in percent) in relation to dry tissue.
- Conditioned humidity - humidity under normal atmospheric conditions. Humidity - 65% and air temperature - 20 ° .
- Maximum humidity is an indicator that was measured at a humidity of 100% and an air temperature of 20 ° C.
So experts evaluate hygroscopicity. But ordinary customers want to know, without going into details, the general characteristic of hygroscopicity.
A person feels comfortable if the tissue is able to absorb moisture. A favorable microclimate in the space surrounding the skin will always be present. Material that does not have this capability is unpleasant upon contact. Hygienists do not recommend using such fabrics. In such clothes, a person will feel as if he is in a glass case.
Hydrophilic and hydrophobic fibers
The response to water molecules depends on the composition of the fibers, the structure of the tissues and their chemical structure:
- Hydrophilic fibers are raw materials having special groups of atoms that exhibit an affinity for water.
- Hydrophobic - fibers without such groups tend to repel water.
Hygienists in addition to hygroscopic indicators evaluate the vapor permeability and breathability of materials. Good fabrics can let in air and vapors, absorb moisture.
When absorbing moisture, fibers increase in volume, and their sizes change. When hygroscopic tissue enters the atmosphere, the humidity of which is 0%, drying does not occur immediately. Due to the interaction with the fibers, water does not evaporate for a period of time and remains bound. In absolutely dry air, hygroscopic tissues do not instantly lose water. The drying process is slow. In such clothes, a person, for example, in the desert, feels normal.
Materials with hydrophobic properties possess low hygroscopicity. They dry up instantly surrounded by dry air. Unpleasant feelings appear in a person in clothes made of fabrics that have little hygroscopicity. The skin of the body begins to dry after the drying of the tissue.
Hygroscopicity of different tissues
It is important for the buyer to have an idea of the physical properties of the fabric in order to provide himself not only with a pleasant external impression of the clothes, but also to wear it with pleasure.
Wool
Woolen fabrics have the highest hygroscopicity. This structure of wool is conceived by nature and allows animals to safely survive in the cold and in the heat, in the subtropics, deserts.
Wool fibers can absorb up to 17% moisture at normal humidity. With high humidity, hygroscopicity can reach 40%.
Silk
Silk natural threads have less absorption capacity. The indicator under normal conditions is 11%. At high humidity reaches 40%.
Viscose
Surprisingly, the next position is occupied by artificially created viscose fiber. Due to the hygroscopicity of wood and the cellulose skeleton that remained after the modification of the raw material, under normal conditions, the tissue hygroscopicity is 12%. Up to 40% increase in high humidity.
Linen
This fabric takes the 4th place in the ranking according to the degree of hygroscopicity. 12% is the ability to absorb moisture under normal conditions. Up to 21% increases the indicator in the most humid environment.
Cotton
Cotton closes the five leading materials for hygroscopicity. It is capable of absorbing up to 8% moisture both under normal conditions and at maximum ambient humidity. Cotton mercerized fibers have a great ability to absorb water.
All other tissues have little hygroscopicity. What kind of fabric? These include:
- Acetate fibers, capron, vinol (under normal conditions, the indicator is placed in the range from 5 to 7%).
- Chlorine-containing fibers, lavsan, spandex (hygroscopicity from 0.5 to 1.5%).
So what is hygroscopicity? A property that is important enough for summer clothes and sportswear, as the increased body and air temperature leads to profuse sweating, which can create great discomfort for a person. It is precisely the high hygroscopicity of the material from which the clothing is made that allows you to get rid of excess moisture. For manufacturers of underwear, this property is also an important indicator.
After the tissue has been treated, its ability to absorb and release water molecules is significantly reduced. Any impregnation that reduces creasing prevents shrinkage. Fixing dyes will inevitably lead to a significant reduction in hygroscopicity.
One cannot say unequivocally that hygroscopicity is good. Yes, it makes it easier for people to transfer the heat, and for athletes to perform exercises in fairly comfortable conditions. But excessive moisture in some tissues can only do harm. Moisture may cause some fabrics to warp, such as knitwear. On a smaller scale, such a fate may befall some types of matter with high humidity. Therefore, it is not always with certainty that hygroscopicity is a plus.