Composite Polyester Cloth for Absorbency, Repellency, and Floatation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cloths struggle to balance water absorbency and water repellency, and few designs allow for floating on water, which is a requirement for specific athletic and outdoor applications.
Innovation Solution
A cloth combining a non-water-repellent polyester fiber A with a water-repellent polyester fiber B, where the weight ratio and arrangement of these fibers, along with specific processing and structural features, achieve both water absorbency and repellency, as well as the ability to float on water.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If water-absorbing processing is applied to improve water absorbency, then water absorbency is improved, but water repellency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The fabric is designed with different regions having different properties: the surface layer contains water-repellent fibers to prevent water penetration, while the inner layer contains water-absorbent fibers to absorb sweat. This local differentiation allows the fabric to simultaneously achieve water repellency at the surface and water absorbency internally, resolving the contradiction between these two opposing requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The fabric uses a composite structure combining water-repellent fibers (such as polyester with DWR treatment) and water-absorbent fibers (such as cotton or rayon) in specific arrangements. This composite material approach allows the fabric to exhibit both water-repellent and water-absorbent properties simultaneously, with different fiber types performing their respective functions in different layers.
2Ease of manufacture
If synthetic fibers are used for ordinary garments, then ease of manufacture and durability are improved, but water absorbency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The fabric combines synthetic water-repellent fibers with natural or semi-synthetic water-absorbent fibers. The synthetic fibers provide ease of manufacture, durability, and water repellency, while the natural fibers (cotton, rayon) provide water absorbency. This composite approach maintains the manufacturing advantages of synthetic fibers while adding the water-absorbent properties of natural fibers.
Solution Approach 2:
Water-absorbent natural fibers are specifically placed in the inner layer that contacts the skin, while water-repellent synthetic fibers form the outer layer. This local quality differentiation ensures that water absorbency is provided where needed (inner layer) while maintaining the ease of manufacture and durability of synthetic fibers in the structure.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If water-repelling processing is applied to improve water repellency, then water repellency is improved, but water absorbency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Water-repelling processing (DWR) is applied only to the outer surface layer of the fabric, while the inner layer remains untreated or is designed with inherently water-absorbent fibers. This localized application of water-repelling processing maintains water repellency where needed for protection while preserving water absorbency in the inner layer for moisture management.
Solution Approach 2:
The fabric uses a composite structure where water-repellent processed fibers form the outer layer and water-absorbent fibers form the inner layer. This composite arrangement allows the water-repelling processing to provide water repellency without preventing the inner absorbent fibers from performing their moisture-absorbing function.
4Strength
If fabric density is increased to improve durability, then strength is improved, but tendency to float on water deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The fabric uses a layered structure with different densities in different layers. The outer layer has higher density for durability and water repellency, while the inner layer has lower density with air pockets to provide buoyancy. This local density differentiation allows the fabric to simultaneously achieve strength and floating capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The fabric combines dense, strong fibers for structural integrity with hollow or low-density fibers for buoyancy. This composite material structure provides both the strength needed for durability and the low density required for floating on water, resolving the contradiction between these two properties.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The resulting cloth exhibits excellent water absorbency, water repellency, and the ability to float on water, making it suitable for amphibious wear and other textile products.
Implementation Method 1
a cloth having water absorbency, water repellency, and a tendency to float on water
Implementation Method 2
a fiber B that is water repellent... the fiber B that is water repellent is a fiber having a contact angle of 120° or more
Implementation Method 3
a cloth having water absorbency, water repellency, and a tendency to float on water... the cloth has a sedimentation time of 10 seconds or more
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6
AI summary
An object of the invention is to provide a cloth having water absorbency, water repellency, and a tendency to float on water, and also a textile product using the cloth. A means of resolution is to obtain a cloth using a fiber A that is not water repellent and a fiber B that is water repellent in a weight ratio (fiber A:fiber B) within a range of 50:50 to 87:13.