3D Woven interlocking patterns with enhanced mechanical and thermophysical characteristics

Multilayer three-dimensional (3D) fabrics are gaining importance due to their unique properties, which are significantly influenced by the interlocking pattern and govern their end-use applications, particularly in protective textiles requiring higher through-the-thickness mechanical characteristics. This research focuses on developing 3D woven structures with novel orthogonal through-the-thickness interlocking patterns: warp interlocked (WP-IL), weft interlocked (WT-IL), and hybrid interlocked (HB-IL) by using warp and weft yarns simultaneously for interlocking fabric layers. Various performance characteristics, including air permeability, thermal conductivity, compression resistance, bending rigidity, tensile strength, and puncture resistance, were evaluated to assess the influence of fabric structure. Statistical analysis using One-way ANOVA was conducted to determine the significance of the interlocking pattern on these properties. The results indicate that weft interlock structures exhibit the highest air permeability due to their greater porosity, whereas hybrid interlock and warp interlock structures show 20.7% and 18% lower air permeability, respectively, due to their reduced structural porosity. Thermal conductivity results suggest no significant differences in insulation properties among the structures. Hybrid interlock fabrics demonstrate superior compression resistance and tensile strength, with 26.2% higher tensile strength than warp interlock structures and 12.3% higher than weft interlock structures in the warp direction, owing to the balanced distribution of binding yarns. In contrast, warp interlock structures exhibit the lowest bending rigidity in the weft direction, making them more flexible. Additionally, hybrid interlock structures provide the highest puncture resistance, while weft interlock structures show the lowest resistance due to their increased porosity. These findings highlight the critical role of fabric architecture in determining both comfort and mechanical properties, providing valuable insights for selecting optimal 3D woven structures in applications requiring specific performance attributes.