Visualisation of liquid flow phenomena in textiles applied as a wound dressing

The aim of this work was to visualise liquid transport in textiles. Knowledge of the transport phenomena allows for the design of textiles for various applications, e.g., comfortable to wear filtration and wound dressing. To visualise liquid transport through textiles, three test methods were explored. The first one was the high spatial resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique (also referred to as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) microscopy). It allowed the observation of the pathways of liquid flow through textiles. In the second method, a thermographic camera was used to record temperature changes and assess the liquid flow in the textile. The third method was using a high-speed video camera to observe the liquid transport within the textile. Two types of textiles were studied: a double-layer knitted fabric and a woven fabric, both made from hydrophilic and hydrophobic fibres (cotton, viscose and polypropylene). The knitted fabrics were tested as a new type of wound dressing, which transported moisture with adequate control; therefore, it could be used as a substrate for a drug delivery system.