Fibre persistence on static textiles under outdoor conditions

Area of Science:

• Textile Science
• Environmental Science
• Material Science

Background:

• Fiber persistence on textiles under outdoor conditions is under-researched.
• Understanding fiber loss is crucial for material durability and environmental impact assessments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate factors influencing fiber persistence on static textile surfaces.
• To simultaneously analyze the effects of time, inclination, wind speed, and rainfall on fiber retention.
• To compare laboratory findings with real-world outdoor conditions.

Main Methods:

• A design of experiments approach was used under controlled laboratory conditions.
• Four factors were systematically varied: time, textile inclination, wind speed, and rainfall.
• A predictive model was developed and validated against data from outdoor experiments near a weather station.

Main Results:

• Wind speed and rainfall were significant factors affecting fiber persistence.
• Time and the inclination of the recipient textile were found to be non-significant.
• Observed fiber persistence in laboratory settings was generally high (90.4-100%), attributed to textile surface structure.
• Outdoor experiments showed higher variability and greater fiber loss, with wind and rainfall exerting substantial influence.

Conclusions:

• The developed laboratory model is reliable within the tested parameter ranges.
• Textile surface characteristics play a key role in trapping fibers, contributing to high persistence.
• Outdoor conditions, particularly wind and rainfall, significantly increase fiber loss, leading to linear or exponential decay over time.