Types of Materials Worn By Crew Members

This afternoon, I ventured onto the deck to take some seawater samples. Last night, we had to navigate through a transition zone of winds with stormy weather. Luckily, the crew members on watch at that time had several layers of clothing from their durable, if limited wardrobe.

Polyester fleece is the main material for jackets and gloves worn by the members of the Camper crew. It is durable, resists moisture, and dries quickly. Polyester is the product of terephthalic acid and ethlyene glycol combined together at high temperatures, cooled, and forced through tiny holes in order to form thin, long fibres. The fleece retains heat as a result of its structure, which allows for air pockets. If the fleece is blended with natural fibres, this increases its strength and resistance to scrapes and scratches.

Microfibres, such as Kevlar, are used for the shirts and trousers in the wardrobe. They are lightweight and resistant to damage from outside forces. In order to produce Kevlar, poly-para-phenylene terephthalamide has to be produced through the polymerization process, where molecules are combined into extensive chains. The resulting liquid is then spun into fine threads and then woven together to form the fabric.

Nylon and spandex are the most common materials used for rash guards and vests worn by the boat crew. Both are lightweight and resistant to abrasion as well as staining. This makes them easy to clean, which is useful when the crew is travelling for long periods of time without access to most amenities. Two chemicals are combined together under high temperatures to form molten nylon, which is then spun into thin fibres and exposed to air, causing it to harden. Nylon is usually heat-set after manufacturing. A heat treatment is used to “relax” any leftover deformities in the fabric, which provides near-permanent stability so that shrinkage and wrinkling are less likely to occur. When two pre-polymers are mixed together, they form the raw material for spandex fibres. Stabilizers, such as antioxidants, are then added to the fabric to implant resistant properties.

Our diver, Guy Endean, who is responsible for keeping the boat while it is in water, will also have a wetsuit in his wardrobe. The primary component used in Camper wetsuits is neoprene rubber, which is buoyant, waterproof, and traps heat between the wetsuit and wearer’s skin. It also has high elasticity: the rubber becomes deformed when a strong force is applied to it, but when the force is removed, the material returns to its original state. Neoprene rubber starts out as a powder, polychloroprene, with several other chemicals added to create specific properties. The mixture is then put under extreme heat and pressure, which creates thin sheets of rubber that provide the raw material for the suit.

References

Woodward, Angela. "Polyester Fleece." How Products Are Made. Advameg Inc, 9 Jul 2011. Web. 2 May 2012. <http://www.madehow.com/Volume-4/Polyester-Fleece.html>.

Woodford, Chris. "Kevlar." Explain That Stuff. N.p., 2008. Web. 15 April 2012. <http://www.explainthatstuff.com/kevlar.html>.

Block, Ira. "Manufactured Fiber." AccessScience. McGraw Hill Companies, 2008. Web. 30 May 2012. <http://www.accessscience.com/content.aspx?searchStr=nylon&id=404050>.

Perry Romanowski. Dry-spinning Process. 2005. Graphic. How Products Are MadeWeb. 5 May 2012. <http://www.madehow.com/images/hpm_0000_0004_0_img0149.jpg>.

Maier, Karyn. "What is Neoprene Rubber." Wise Geek. Conjecture Corporation, n.d. Web. 21 April 2012. <http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-neoprene-rubber.htm>.

Partridge, Edward G. , and John Leucken. "Rubber."AccessScience. McGraw Hill Companies, 2008. Web. 30 May 2012. <http://www.accessscience.com/content.aspx?searchStr=rubber&id=594800>.

Kiernan, Denise, and Joseph D'Agnese. Science 101: Chemistry. First Ed. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2007. Print.