THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF CHINON FIBER TREATED WITH SOME PROTEOLYTIC ENZYMES

Abstract

The preceding study showed that certain micro-void spaces were effectively introduced into Chinon fiber by treating the fibrous material with some proteolytic enzymes. In the present study, thus introduced micro-void spaces were examined for improving effect on warmth-retaining property of Chinon fiber. For the purpose, the thermal conductivity observed in a compressed pad specimen composed of multi-layers of the protease-treated Chinon fabrics was divided into three portions, i.e., thermal conductivities depending on the fibrous material, the air in the inter-fiber space, and the air held in the intra-fiber micro-voids. Since the intra-fiber space was considered to be a property specific to the enzyme-treated fiber, the thermal conductivity effective to warmth-retaining property was evaluated from both those of air retained in the micro-voids and of the portion of solid in the fiber. As a result, it was revealed that the effective thermal conductivity of Chinon fiber (0.227 kcal/m/h/deg) could be reduced to a level comparable to that of wool (0.19 kcal/m/h/deg).