ABSTRACT

　The moisture-absorbing and heat-generating fibers are used in innerwear for winter sports. The moisture-absorbing and heat-generating fibers generate wet heat through reaction between insensible perspiration from the skin and the functional groups of the fibers. In this study, the parameters of thermal properties such as ΔTmax and heat retention index were measured using a device made according to the JIS method to measure the thermal properties of hygroscopic heat-generating fibers with different functional groups. It was found that these parameters of thermal properties depend on the types of functional groups, and that acrylate fibers had higher ΔTmax and heat retention index.　The subjects were asked to wear inners made of moisture-absorbing heat-generating fibers, and evaluated the comfort of the inners with regard to the feeling of warmth and moisture during the time course of a series of rest and motion activities by monitoring the micro-climate between inner and skin. A correlation was observed between the temperature within the clothing and ΔTmax, heat retention index.

DECENTE SPORTS SCIENCE Vol.45/The DESCENTE AND ISHIMOTO MEMORIAL FOUNDATION FOR THE PROMOTION SPORTS SCIENCE