Gore-tex and its Applications
GORE-TEX
1. INTRODUCTION There are plenty of clothing options out in the market to keep you warm, but how about to keep you dry in wet conditions? Being dry is one of the key components to keeping warm so this is essential. That is were GORE-TEX comes in. GORE-TEX is an inner membrane layer in outdoor clothing containing over nine billion microscopic pores per square inch (Figure 2). These pores are each twenty thousand times smaller then a water droplet but seven hundred times larger then a water vapor molecule. The fabric is then able to keep the water drops from seeping in while allowing perspiration to escape from inside. This keeps the body at an optimal level of dryness, comfort, and temperature. GORE-TEX, since its creation has many significant current applications as well as major impacts on the outdoor sports market (W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc.). This paper will present background, technology, applications, impacts, and drawbacks of GORE-TEX.
2. BACKGROUND Wilbert L. Gore founded the GORE-TEX brand name material and company while working for DuPont. Gore tried to make a cable coated with PTFE (polytetrafleuoroethylene), as he believed the substance had insulating characteristics. With a little help from his son Robert, Gore tried bonding Teflon to a sealant tape (Milford). This was Robert’s idea and after many failed attempts the breakthrough finally came. Gore was unable to persuade DuPont to make the product so he was forced to start the business himself. He did so on January 1st, 1958. In 1976 Gore introduced his famous GORE-TEX fabric that made him famous. The PTFE material is also used in space suits, medical devices, industrial filters, and Glide dental floss (Milford). Gore now also has many divisions to his company including aerospace, energy, environment, medical, and pharmaceutical and biotechnology (Gore Creative Technologies Worldwide). Gore’s fabric division still brings in the most revenue (Milford).
3. WHAT GORE-TEX IS:
Gore-tex
1. INTRODUCTION There are plenty of clothing options out in the market to keep you warm, but how about to keep you dry in wet conditions? Being dry is one of the key components to keeping warm so this is essential. That is were GORE-TEX comes in. GORE-TEX is an inner membrane layer in outdoor clothing containing over nine billion microscopic pores per square inch (Figure 2). These pores are each twenty thousand times smaller then a water droplet but seven hundred times larger then a water vapor molecule. The fabric is then able to keep the water drops from seeping in while allowing perspiration to escape from inside. This keeps the body at an optimal level of dryness, comfort, and temperature. GORE-TEX, since its creation has many significant current applications as well as major impacts on the outdoor sports market (W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc.). This paper will present background, technology, applications, impacts, and drawbacks of GORE-TEX.
2. BACKGROUND Wilbert L. Gore founded the GORE-TEX brand name material and company while working for DuPont. Gore tried to make a cable coated with PTFE (polytetrafleuoroethylene), as he believed the substance had insulating characteristics. With a little help from his son Robert, Gore tried bonding Teflon to a sealant tape (Milford). This was Robert’s idea and after many failed attempts the breakthrough finally came. Gore was unable to persuade DuPont to make the product so he was forced to start the business himself. He did so on January 1st, 1958. In 1976 Gore introduced his famous GORE-TEX fabric that made him famous. The PTFE material is also used in space suits, medical devices, industrial filters, and Glide dental floss (Milford). Gore now also has many divisions to his company including aerospace, energy, environment, medical, and pharmaceutical and biotechnology (Gore Creative Technologies Worldwide). Gore’s fabric division still brings in the most revenue (Milford).
3. WHAT GORE-TEX IS:
Gore-tex