Химия и химические технологии/5. Фундаментальные проблемы

создания новых материалов и технологий

Post graduate student Stepanischeva A.N.

Candidate of technical science Lavris E.V.

Moscow State University of Design and Technology, Russian Federation

Possibility of textile and composite materials combination for apparel manufacture

Successful development of the apparel technologies for the purpose to produce clothes with new unique properties is integral connected with introduction of new materials. There is a demand for application of new technologies for creation of clothes with new constructions for satisfaction of numerous requirements of modern customers.

The creation of garments with preset form-stability and zone distribution of rigidity is actual task. This problem is solved by the means of rigid elements introduction into the clothes construction. In apparel production the bones are used as rigid elements for improvement of fitting on a figure and giving to an item demanded form. For example, during the wear of skirts or trousers with one-piece cut out high belt the formation of folds in the field of a waist and wrinkles and bendings of a belt is possible. The bones placed in vertical seams eliminate folds and wrinkles. In shoulder clothes the bones have wider application. They help to smooth a hem of the garment, its neckline, side seams, relief seams and sleeve cuffs. It is possible to emphasize a silhouette of a garment by the means of the bones [1]. However bones considerably increase labour input of clothes manufacturing process and not always rationally change rigidity. For the sake to expand apparels assortment it is necessary to develop a new method of rigid elements manufacturing which will allow to form rigid details of the preset variable curvature and thickness providing demanded for-stability with rational distribution of rigidity in order to avoid a decrease in ergonomics.

The analysis of new composite materials has shown that their application for manufacturing of rigid elements in garments will allow to satisfy the indicated above requirements. One class of composites has a textile filling as a reinforcing element. Such composites can be attached to soft textile materials in order to change the rigidity of clothes elements. As it is known [2], there is a limited list of fibrous materials which can be applied in composites manufacture. From this list it is more suitable to use carbon fibres for clothes manufacture according to safety reasons for health of the human.

Experimental researches have shown that elements from carbon threads can be made by various braiding techniques for formation of a tapes or plaits or laying out of threads. Such techniques as a braiding, a macramé, a chain of air loops and semi-columns can be used. The form, width and a thickness of a rigid composite element are defined on performance requirements of a product.

We suggest to fix braided carbon tapes on a fabric by a direct or zigzag machine line. The stage stitching is obligatory because it is necessary to make rigid fastening of a carbon tape on clothes detail. After the stitching it is necessary to impregnate elements by binding epoxy or glue PVC. This will give the composite element the rigidity which significantly exceeds textile materials rigidity. Thus, the rigid composite elements and a soft textile material form one unit.

For successful use of composite materials in apparel production it is necessary to define the places of garment which demand considerable change of properties but do not influencing ergonomics. We suggest to classify parts of a garment according to their functions into protective, supporting, reinforcing and soft elements.

Protective elements are the elements of the design with specific properties, for example, maintenance of improved comfort, simplification of movements, prevention of harmful external influences, i.e. the special properties which are dictated by product purpose and service conditions. It is possible to attribute to the protective elements the materials which are covering a rigid element in order to not cause inconvenience at operation.

The elements which provide stability of the garment preset form at external stretching or compressing deformation are considered as supporting elements. In clothes such elements are the areas which correspond to supporting surfaces, and areas where item internal curvature sharply changes.

Reinforcing elements are high-duty elements consisting of a textile material which are intended for moving of deformed external loading in the set direction inside the item. These elements possess the increased potential energy of a working environment, hence, they should have durability, firmness to such cyclic loadings as a repeated bend or a stretching.

Soft elements are the areas which are not supporting, and also not having another other external influence except a gravity operating on a material. The biggest soft elements in clothes are the details made of basic material and performing aesthetic function.

At the first stage of garment design with rational distribution of rigidity it is necessary to analyze the form of a product for definition of protective, supporting, reinforcing and soft elements position. These elements can be imposed against each other in different places. For example, in a corset on lateral parts of a lining there are reinforcing elements which perform power function and above them there is outer layer of main material which is soft element.

As a result of the garment form analysis the design object is broken into zones with different properties. The form defines features of design process. It is necessary to design supporting elements according to the form of supporting surfaces, occurrence of constructive defects otherwise is inevitable. The great number of engineering methods for involute of surface design is known and can be used at the given stage. The input information for design is the three-dimensional form of the supporting surface and such properties of materials as an extensibility and admissible change of network angles.

The soft elements must be designed focusing attention on drapability and rigidity of a material in order to avoid the errors connected with reflection of these properties in the volume form. Requirements to design of protective elements are based on properties of the materials which influence the conveniences. Materials should be harmless, hypoallergenic, pleasant to the touch, not causing irritations.

Reinforcing elements must be designed according to multicyclic characteristics such as a stretching, a repeated bend, repeated abrasion, because these elements stand greatest loading during the movement of the person. 

The stated aspects of design has been used for creation of experimental clothes samples which posses preset distribution of the rigidity, high form-stability and sufficient ergonomics that allows to recommend use of composite materials in a clothing industry.

References:

1.   Конструирование одежды с элементами САПР, под редакцией Е.Б.Кобляковой: учебник (2007) – М.: КДУ– 464с.

2.   Конкин А. А. Углеродные и другие жаростойкие и волокнистые материалы (1974) – М.: Химия,. – 375 с.