Comprehensive performance evaluation based on electromagnetic shielding properties of the weft-knitted fabrics made by stainless steel/cotton blended yarn

Electromagnetic shielding (EMS) fabric is an effective way to prevent electromagnetic (EM) radiation. However, the research about mechanism analysis of the fabrics’ structure, EM wave (EMW) incident direction, and EMW frequency on the EMS properties of knitted fabrics is discordant at present. Meanwhile, researchers are focused on improving the EMS efficiency of the fabric but rarely discussed the thermal-wet comfort of the fabric. Therefore, in this study a series of weft-knitted fabrics within stainless steel/cotton (30/70) blended yarns were knitted, and the effects of EMW incident direction, stitches, loop lengths, and frequency on EMS effectiveness (EMSE) were analyzed. Meanwhile, the EMS property, warmth retention property, air permeability, moisture permeability, and bursting strength were selected as the evaluation index to evaluate the comprehensive properties of the fabrics by fuzzy mathematics. The results showed that all factors had different degrees of influence on EMSE, and the weft inlay stitch had both the functionality and thermal-wet comfort, which was excellent EMSE in knitted fabric. These results are expected to provide a reference to the design of EMS weft-knitted fabrics.