Sweat And Water Drops Separated

An ultrathin plastic film is the secret behind the popular Gore-Tex membrane, which makes hiking boots and raincoats breathable and water-repellent at the same time.

The membrane consists of a thin layer of the polytetrafluorethylene polymer. The thin plastic film has about 1.5 billion microscopic holes per cm2 of surface, which allow the tiny molecules of water vapour from sweat, etc., to escape into the air, blocking out the large molecules of rain drops at the same time.

The pores of the membrane are 700 times bigger than the water vapour molecules, which derive from sweat. So, they allow the body to get rid of the moisture during physical activity. On the other hand, the pores of the membrane are 20,000 times tinier...