Investigation of the properties of fabrics woven from acyrlic blended yarns

In this thesis, the use of acrylic fibres, which are not used in fine woven fabric structures in top garments, alone or together with other fibres are investigated. This study will contribute to the literature on examining the physical and comfort properties of acrylic and acrylic blended woven fabrics. In the thesis, weight, thickness, porosity, thermal resistance, thermal conductivity, thermal absorbency, moisture transmission, air permeability, water vapour permeability, water vapour resistance, tear resistance, pilling characteristic, flexural strength and resistance to creasing characteristics of the fabrics woven using acrylic yarns together with viscose, cotton and PES yarns, were tested. In the fabrics woven using 100% acrylic, acrylic/viscose, acrylic/cotton, acrylic/PES and various combinations of these fibres, the effects of fiber type, weft density, weft yarn number, type of weave and the ratio of the acrylic fibre on the fabric properties were investigated experimentally and then a statistical evaluation was performed. According to the results obtained in the study, it was concluded that no significant advantage was obtained for the thermal comfort properties of fabrics woven with weft mixing of acrylic and other yarn types. However the use of acrylic yarns showed some advantages on comfort properties with better moisture management. Also acrylic mixed fabrics showed much better wrinkle property compared to cotton and viscose fabrics. Additions of acrylic yarns to fabric construction decreased amount of pilling with respect to 100% PES fabrics. It was found that fiber type did not have any significant influence on thermal comfort in most of the fabric constructions woven with acrylic weft mixing. Rather, fabrics thickness and porosity had a determining effect on thermal comfort of the woven fabrics.