Studies on the thermal insulation of the wet cloths. (Part 4). Moisture-induced change in the thermal insulation of the cloth on a hot plate.

The change due to moisture in the degree of thermal insulation of the cloth covering a hot plate was investigated for various fabrics. The experiment revealed that the differences in the texture and in the cross-sectional shape of the fiber could cause a wide variety of effects on the thermal insulation property of the fabrics though they were the same in material. Based on the results obtained, the rela tionship between the liquid-water absorbability and thermal insulatability of the cloth was discussed. The markedly low degree of insulation for the cloths which reject the inter-fiber penetration of liquid water could be reasonably elucidated on the hypothesis that heat conducting paths might be formed by the liquid water existing between the cloth and the hot plate.