Gore-Tex

From ArticleWorld

Gore-Tex is a trademark that has been registered by W.L. Gore & Associates and invented by Robert W. Gore, which was included for it in the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2006.

Characteristics

Gore-Tex is completely impermeable and in the same time it allows the material to breathe. The reason behind these facts stands in the actual material.. Gore-Tex’s most important component is a thin, porous fluoropolymer membrane. Every single square inch of it has around 9 billion pores, which are around 20 thousand times smaller than any drop of water. In the same time it is big enough to allow water vapors to pass through. The membrane is usually bonded to a fabric that can be nylon or polyester, although others are used. The end result is a material which is 100% impermeable and windproof but yet allows the fabric to breathe.

Usage

Its characteristics made Gore-Tex one of the most popular material used in various applications such as: medical implants, gaskets, sealants, cable insulation and filtering media. It is so popular that a person involved in outdoor activity will probably wear clothing made out of Gore-Tex. The user’s skin will thus be able to breathe and he will be protected from wind and rain.