Dynamic assessment of water vapor resistance in textiles: influence of environmental factors

The transfer of water vapor through textiles is a key factor in ensuring comfort and performance in various applications, especially those involving exposure to moisture or sweating, such as military, firefighting, and outdoor sports activities. Although there are several standards for measuring the water vapor transmission properties of textiles, their values can vary significantly under real-world operating conditions, due to the hydrophilic nature of many textile materials. A new experimental setup is proposed to measure the water vapor resistance of fabrics under real-world conditions of use, providing a more accurate representation compared to conventional steady-state methods. By integrating experimental data with mathematical modeling, the authors analyze the resistance of textiles to water vapor transfer, factoring in temperature fluctuations and the physical phenomenon of water sorption. The results indicate a correlation between moisture content and water vapor resistance at constant temperature, while temperature variation primarily affects the diffusion of water vapor through the air within the textile’s voids.