Wear Comfort Characteristics of Al₂O₃/ATO/TiO₂-Embedded Multi-Functional PET Fabrics

The wear comfort of Al₂O₃/ATO (antimony tin oxide, Sb₂SnO₅)/TiO₂-embedded fabrics was examined in terms of the heat shielding property of ATO particles and emissivity of far-infrared (FIR) radiation according to the sheath/core ratio (wt. %) of Al₂O₃ and ATO particles embedded in the sheath/core yarns. The thermal radiation of the low-core-ratio (50 wt. %) Al₂O₃/ATO-embedded fabric was greater than that of the high-core-ratio (70 wt. %) Al₂O₃/ATO-embedded fabric, which was verified by the higher FIR emissivity. The heat-shielding effect of the ATO particles in the highly Al₂O₃/ATO-embedded yarns enabled it to shield the FIR emitted from sunlight, resulting in lower emissivity and emissive power of the highly embedded Al₂O₃/ATO yarn than lower embedded yarn. Accordingly, lower Al₂O₃/ATO-embedded yarns are required to obtain excellent thermal radiation of the fabrics. The fabric with a low core ratio (50 wt. %) exhibited superior moisture absorption, fast-drying properties, and a higher heat retention rate than fabrics with a high core ratio (70 wt. %). Furthermore, the fabric with a low core ratio exhibited superior breathability to the fabric with a high core ratio, resulting in easy moisture vapor permeability. These findings show that the fabric with a low core ratio (50%) of Al₂O₃/ATO particles imparts superior absorption, moisture vapor permeability, and thermal wear comfort to the high-core-ratio fabric (70%), giving it a comfortable wear-comfort feel while wearing the clothing. Hence, low-core-ratio yarn is suitable for warm-up fabric with UV-protection and anti-static characteristics.