KNITTED MATERIALS FOR ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION SHIELDING: STRUCTURE, SHIELDING PRINCIPLE AND COMFORT

Abstract

Abstract. Reliable protection against electromagnetic radiation (EMR) can be achieved through the use of textile screens, which are obtained by various technologies. Knitted materials produced by incorporating conductive threads or metal wires into the structure are becoming more common due
to further use in protective clothing manufacturing. The purpose of this work is to study the shielding eff ectiveness and thermophysiological comfort of
industrial knitted fabrics for electromagnetic radiation shielding. Methodology. Standardized methods ASTM 4935-10 was used to determine the shielding effe ctiveness of knitted materials in the frequency range of 30 MHz - 1.5. The indicators of thermophysiological comfort were determined by specially developed methods. Results. Three knitted fabrics for protection against electromagnetic radiation available at Ukrainian market have been studied. The warp knitted fabric of locknit interlooping has got the highest shielding effi ciency (over 50 dB). The shielding effi ciency of this fabric is provided mainly by t he absorption mechanism, while the shielding effi ciency of fi lling knitted fabri c is provided by the absorption and refl ection mechanisms in almost equal proportion. The studied knitted fabrics for EMR shielding are characterized by a wide values range of thermophysical properties and high vapor permeability, which allows them to be used in special and casual clothing with protective functionality. The novelty of the work is in a thorough analysis of scientifi c publications on the development and research of knitted materials for protection against electromagnetic radiation as well summarizing the
main results of previous developments, which creates a basis for creating new and developing existing knitted materials for shielding. The practical value of the work is in the future using the obtained values of shielding effi ciency and thermophysiological comfort of knitted materials as basic indicators for the design and development of new textile materials for protection against electromagnetic radiation.