The 3D structure of fabric and its relationship to liquid and vapor transport

Polymeric carrier fabrics are commonly used in many industrial processes including manufacture of paper and board. Apart from acting as a carrier for the compressible porous material during the manufacturing process, the synthetic woven fabrics comprising mainly of poly ethylene terypthalate (PET) yarns, impart valuable product attributes, i.e. softness, bulk, absorbency, etc. in consumer products. The three-dimensional structure of the fabrics plays a critical role in deciding the manufacturing and energy efficiency as well as product end-use properties. X-ray micro computed tomography (X-CT) provides a non-intrusive technique to visualize and analyze the three-dimensional structure of por…