CHANGING OF OPTICAL AND SHIELDING PROPERTIES OF LINEN FABRICS AFTER MULTIPLE WASHING
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35546/kntu2078-4481.2026.3.7Keywords:
linen, fabrics, textiles, shielding properties, electromagnetic radiation of the UV range, optical properties, color, repeated washingAbstract
Summer clothing is made of cotton and linen fabrics, which should provide high aesthetic performance, comfort during wearing and effective protection against the negative effects of solar radiation, as well as ultraviolet radiation. At the same time, such products are subjected to partial washing, which can negatively affect their appearance and shielding properties.
Theoretical and experimental studies are based on the main principles of textile materials science. The color characteristics of the optical properties of linen fabrics were evaluated in the CIELab color space using a 3NH NR-20XE colorimeter under D65/10 illumination. The ability of the fabric to screen ultraviolet radiation was measured by the values of the transmittance coefficient (Т, %) using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer DU-8800D (Drawell International Technology Ltd) in accordance with the EN 13758-1:2002 standard by calculating the ultraviolet protection factor (UPF). The paper analyzes modern approaches to protecting humans from the negative effects of ultraviolet radiation. It is established that clothing is one of the most effective means of protecting the skin, and the decisive role is played by the screening properties of textiles. The paper investigates the influence of the main characteristics of four plain weave linen fabrics on the level of protection against ultraviolet radiation. For linen fabrics that differ only in color, a tendency was found to increase their shielding properties with a decrease in the value of the lightness index (L*) and an increase in color saturation (C*) (the correlation coefficients are 0.95 and 0.97, respectively). It has been experimentally proven that repeated washing of linen fabrics leads to significant changes in their optical and structural characteristics. It has been found that the parameter L* (lightness) is the most informative indicator of the influence of washing cycles on the optical (in particular, color) and shielding properties of materials. It has been established that after 20 washing cycles, white and mint-colored fabrics lose their ability to shield ultraviolet radiation (UPF 0–10). In turn, for fabrics of dark blue and emerald colors, there is a decrease in the shielding ability to the level of fabrics with “good protection” (UPF 15 – 20). The main reason for such a deterioration in shielding properties is the wear of the material, in particular, the partial destruction of its structure under the influence of mechanical and physicochemical factors. This is manifested in a decrease in the linear density of the warp and weft threads, a decrease in the surface density of the fabric and, accordingly, an increase in its surface (through) porosity.
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