Sunlight exposure: the effects on the performance of paragliding fabric

This study was designed to explore the relationship between sunlight exposure and the mechanical properties of paragliding fabrics which have different colors, densities, yarn counts, and coating materials. This study exposed 5 different colors of paragliding fabrics (red, turquoise, dark blue, orange, and white) to intense sunlight for 150 hours during the summer from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for 5 days a week for 5 weeks. Before and after the UV radiation aging process, the air permeability, tensile strength, tear strength, and bursting strength tests were performed. Test results were also evaluated using statistical methods. According to the results, the fading of the turquoise fabric was found to be the highest among the studied fabrics. It was determined that there is a significant decrease in the mechanical properties of the fabrics after sunlight exposure. After aging, the fabrics become considerably weaker in the case of mechanical properties due to the degradation in both the dyestuff and macromolecular structure of the fiber