Chemistry of Clothes

Manufacturers have come up with all sorts of amazing new fabrics and ways to keep them clean.

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Hi-Tech Hoodie: The New Fabrics http://www.chemheritage.org/women_chemistry/style/sherman.html

New high-tech fabrics are shaping the future of fashion. Chemist Melissa Sherman spends much of her time talking to leading fashion designers. She then translates their fashion sense into chemical science, developing new fabrics to realize the designers’ desires. (From the Chemical Heritage Foundation.) MSP full record

Chemistry and Nanotech Work to Make Carefree Clothing http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/andrewkantor/2004-12-31-kantor_x.htm

This article talks about the women chemists who invented Never-Iron and Scotchgard and the chemistry behind both processes.

Working Knowledge: Cool Shirt http%3A//www.sciamdigital.com/index.cfm%3Ffa%3DProducts.ViewIssuePreview%26ARTICLEID_CHAR%3D8DD30BFE-2B35-221B-66BD5F23DDED7BCC

Sweat cools your body as it evaporates from the skin, but clothing traps that moisture, raising body temperature and causing you to sweat even more. This article from the October 2003 issue of Scientific American describes "moisture management" fabrics that wick away sweat and dry quickly. Manufacturers are extruding advanced polyesters into fibers with a moisture content as low as 0.5 percent, versus 4 percent for nylon and 6 to 7 percent for cotton. New extrusion techniques also allow makers to produce fibers with unusually shaped cross sections that channel away sweat. (This article is available to subscribers or as an online purchase of the digital issue. Check with the school media center or a public library that may have a print or digital subscription.) MSP full record

Raincoats http://pubs.acs.org/cen/whatstuff/84/8424raincoats.html

The chemistry and materials science of raincoats continue to evolve. As early as the 13th century, South American natives were coating cloth with natural liquid latex to make waterproof footwear and capes. Today, garment makers are working to improve the breathability of waterproof fabrics as well as applying polymer membranes to a wider variety of textiles. (From What’s That Stuff?) MSP full record

Building a Better Bleach http://acswebcontent.acs.org/education/chemmatters/archive/2004_4_smpissue.pdf

You need to wear your new dark red T-shirt, and there it sits in the dirty clothes hamper. Wait! The washer is loaded and filling with water. Problem solved! You just add the shirt to the load of white shirts, socks, and underwear. With this lighthearted opening, a ChemMatters article discusses the chemistry behind the bleaching process. (From American Chemical Society Education.) MSP full record

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Copyright June 2007 — The Ohio State University. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0424671. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.