Abstract
In this study, to investigate the thermal comfort of underwear, it was evaluated how the moisture sorption of underwear material affected transiently on the clothing microclimate in the hot environment by using sweating thermal manikin. Three clothes which consisted of different ratios of polyester (PET) and moisture absorbing synthetic fiber (MAS), PET100, PET85 and PET70 were compared one another. It was shown that the higher the ratio of MAS, the lower the microclimate humidity was in insensible perspiration. In comparison PET70 with cotton 100%(COT100), though each of those official moisture regain was almost same, the microclimate humidity of COT100 decreased more intensely and went back initial value more quickly. The amount of microclimate humidity fall was almost same between two materials. To show the effect of an initial condition of material, the underwear in an middle humid condition, which was 30°C, 65%RH, was compared with one in a dry condition. The fall of clothing microclimate of humid one was about one third of dry one. In sensible perspiration, though the fall of microclimate humidity was seen, it returned faster than in the insensible condition. While the wet underwear was dried off, the higher the ratio of official moisture regain was, the higher temperature decrease and humidity increase in microclimate were. It seemed that the endothermic reaction occurred as moisture desorbed.
