Fabrics

I have been researching fibers, fabrics, fiber/fabric finishes and coatings and insulation materials for cold weather. I have gathered together a notebook of information which covers each of the properties of various fabric manufacturers and what their products are supposed to do. Some of them also explain about the polymer layering of different fabrics and insulations.

One important polymer, used by Goretex in layers with polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), is called oleophobic which would block saltwater, body oils, etc from passing through the material. It claims to be "oil hating." This would be an excellent thing to investigate, especially since it could potentially be exactly the barrier we need to protect the battery and wiring within our glove.

Some other fabrics are briefly explained below: The ComforTemp Dynamic Climate Control material is one of the new fabrics that boasts phase changing properties to regulate the temperature of the individual. The Cordura Plus company has various fiber options (acrylic, lycra, supplex, and taslan) which each have different, potentially useful characteristics of breathability, strength, thickness, etc. Thermolite Base fabrics are made of hollow-cored fibers that claim to wick away moisture while keeping heat insulated in the hands.

For the design of our glove, due to the heating property which will be placed on the backside of the glove, we will most likely have some form of comfortable fabric, silk, thin fleece/polartec, or some other thin, lightweight and non-allergenic fabric will line the inside of the glove. The following layer will hold the wire w/ insulation material. The top layer will also be made of a thin material, ideally one that allows for moisture to leave through the fabric, so as not to build up moisture within the glove when the hand is being heated. Because we will only heat the backside, an extra layer of polymer may be added to the palm-side of the glove. That is yet to be determined.

I contacted Malden Mills to try to obtain information about the thermal properties of fabrics in order to assist in calculating the necessary heating power of our gloves. I spoke with Jim Gillette in the Marketing Department. About the thermal conductivity value, he said that fabric companies don't calculate any specific value, because it is too difficult to get a precise number due to the large number of variables necessary to take into account such as: the outside temperature, wind passing over the glove, wind velocity, etc.

Jim said the Polartec Windbloc fabric works really well for gloves, but doesn't breathe, and do not need a heating device since the excess heat and sweat wouldn't be able to escape through the fabric. He suggested that Polartec Windpro because it is a tight knit fabric with breathability, so hands won't get overwarm. However, with a heating device, it may be overly warm.

References:
MaldenMills/Polartec: http://www.polartec.com or http://maldenmillsstore.com
MaldenMills/Polartec Corporate Headquarters 1-800-252-6688
MaldenMills Marketing Dept. Contact: Jim Gillette 1-978-659-5146
Thermolite Fabric Information http://www.dupont.com/thermolite/
Fabric Information Site: http://www.fabriclink.com/

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