Unmasking the Mask: Investigating the Role of Physical Properties in the Efficacy of Fabric Masks to Prevent the Spread of the COVID-19 Virus

To function as source control, a fabric mask must be able to filter micro-droplets (≥5 µm) in expiratory secretions and still allow the wearer to breathe normally. This study investigated the effects of fabric structural properties on the filtration efficiency (FE) and air permeability (AP) of a range of textile fabrics, using a new method to measure the filtration of particles in the described conditions. The FE improved significantly when the number of layers increased. The FE of the woven fabrics was generally higher, but double-layer weft knitted fabrics, especially when combined with a third (filter) layer, provided a comparable FE without compromising on breathability. This also confirmed the potential of nonwoven fabrics as filter layers in masks. None of the physical fabric properties studied affected FE significantly more than the others. The variance in results achieved within the sample groups show that the overall performance properties of each textile fabric are a product of its combined physical or structural properties, and assumptions that fabrics which appear to be similar will exhibit the same performance properties cannot be made. The combination of layers of fabric in the design of a mask further contributes to the product performance.

Automated recognition and sorting of recycled textiles for sustainable fashion

The application of the principles of sustainable fashion is one of the solutions to reduce the amount of waste from textile production and the use of such fabrics. Spectrophotometric methods have effective application in this subject area. In the present work, an analysis of known methods and approaches applied so far using the techniques of spectral analysis. The proposed methods and procedures lead to improvement and facilitation of the process of classification of textile fibers in sorting and recycling of textile fabrics, in order to implement in automated systems. The proposed analysis tools do not require high cost equipment and complex calculation procedures. They can be implemented in portable devices and microprocessor-based recognition systems. It has been found that two principal components and two latent variables are sufficient to describe the variance in the data. This significantly reduces the amount of data used to analyze textile fibers by their spectral characteristics. It has been shown that the accuracy of textile fiber classification does not depend on the type of separation function of the classifier used. This accuracy depends on the spectral characteristics used, the method for reducing the volume of data, and the type of classifier. The obtained results can be used in the development of recognition systems for sorting textile fabrics depending on the composition of their fibers. In this way, the principles of sustainable fashion will be effectively applied. Also, the proposed methods and tools can be used in the training of future specialists in the subject area.

Material description for textile draping simulation: data structure, open data exchange formats and system for automatic analysis of experimental series

The simulative development of clothing and other textile products requires a complete set of material parameters to be provided. Currently, different simulation software providers users with different values and formats for these parameters. This paper provides an overview about the most important values and proposed structures for storing both the raw data and the extracted parameters. The structure is implemented in both JSON and XML formats, allowing integration in proven formats for three-dimensional worlds such as gltf and x3d. Finally, a structure for organization of the raw data of the testing devices is described. Following this structure allows automatic processing, normalization and extraction of the parameters in short time. The goal of the paper is to simplify and unify the exchange of material parameters for textile fabrics.

Necessary Parameters of Vertically Mounted Textile Substrates for Successful Cultivation of Cress for Low-Budget Vertical Farming

A growing population needs an expansion of agriculture to ensure a reliable supply of nutritious food. As a variable concept, vertical farming, becoming increasingly popular, can allow plant growth for local food produc¬tion in the vertical sense on, e.g. facades in addition to the classical layered structure in buildings. As substrates, textile fabrics can be used as a sustainable approach in terms of reusability. In our experiment, we investigated which properties a textile should possess in order to be suitable for an application in vertical farming by the example of cress seeds. To determine the best-fitted fabric, four different textiles were mounted vertically, and were provided with controlled irrigation and illumination. Our results showed that a hairy textile surface as provided by weft-knitted plush is advantageous. There, the rooting of cress plants used in this experiment is easier and less complicated than along tightly meshed, flat surfaces, as for woven linen fabrics.

Phytomanagement of a Trace Element-Contaminated Site to Produce a Natural Dye: First Screening of an Emerging Biomass Valorization Chain

The study of different possible biomass valorization routes is crucial in order to diversify phytomanagement options, allowing the landowner/stakeholder to choose the best option based on site characteristics and the benefits of local value chains. In the current study, field and laboratory experiments were conducted to assess the suitabilitity of Malva sylvestris L. for the phytoattenuation of a dredged sediment disposal site contaminated with trace elements (trace element (Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn). The selected crop was Malva sylvestris, a flowering plant from which a colourant can be extracted to be used in dying of textiles as a way to valorize the produced biomass grown on this contaminated land. Under the conditions of the investigated site, the analysis of TE in the sediment and the biomass matrix showed no effect of M. sylvestris on the sediment TE contamination mobility with an excluder phenotype (Bioconcentration factor < 1). Metal concentrations were found to be the highest in the leaves followed by in the stem and flower. The dye extract obtained from the flower part of M. sylvestris permitted the silk alum-pretreated fabric to be dyed yellow, and the TE concentration in the dyed textile fabrics respected the threshold values set by OEKO-Tex standard 100.

Influence of elastic 3D printed polymers on the mechanical properties and tribology of textile fabrics

Combining textile fabrics with 3D printing has been investigated intensively during the last years. Mostly, research concentrated on the adhesion between both partners of the composite or on the new freedom of design, enabled by combining these techniques. Here, we present examinations of the influence of elastic 3D printed patterns on the elongation and wearing out of elastic textile fabrics as well as on the tribological properties of the textile surface, comparing pure and imprinted textile fabrics. Therefore, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) was 3D printed in different patterns on diverse textile fabrics. Our study shows that for a sufficient adhesion, reached by small enough nozzle-fabric distance, elastic 3D printed patterns can indeed improve the surface resistance against wear.