Structures and Properties of the Goose Down as a Material for Thermal Insulation

As a natural filling material, the goose down is well known for its superior thermal insulating properties and is widely used as an insulated filling material for winter outerwear and quilters. However, our understanding of the material is so poor that we still cannot fully explain the mechanisms or the sources for its high thermal insulation. This paper reports an extensive investigation of the chemical compositions, morphological structure and the physical properties, pertaining to thermal resistance of the down and down assemblies compared with other fiber assemblies. Detailed experimental work and data analysis were conducted on the properties influencing the thermal insulation of the down.