Deformation behaviors of three-dimensional auxetic spacer fabrics

Auxetic spacer fabrics are a novel kind of three-dimensional (3D) fabric structure with a negative Poisson’s ratio. They have found a number of applications in functional garments, protective pads and sportive shoes due to their unusual properties. In this paper, a study on deformation behaviors of 3D spacer fabrics that could be fabricated on a large scale is reported. Through experimental observations of deformation of a basic hexagonal unit at different tensile strains, two different geometrical models are proposed for the fabric structure when extended in the course direction and wale direction, respectively. Based on the geometrical models, two semi-empirical equations between the Poisson’s ratio and tensile strain are established for both tensile directions. The study shows that the established semi-empirical equations fit well with experimental results. Therefore, they could be used in the design and prediction of 3D auxetic spacer fabrics with different values of geometrical parameters.