Infrared radiation characterization of several stainless steel textiles in the 3.5–5.1 μm infrared range

The infrared emission of four stainless steel textiles was characterized in the mid-infrared range, i.e. 3.6÷5.1 μm, by observing their temperature evolution under heating regime. The investigated steel textiles differ by the type of fabrics, resulting in some variation in the infrared emission. Standard test method for measuring emissivity was applied to the set of metallic textiles using infrared imaging radiometers as well as a reference surface of known high emissivity. The obtained experimental results allowed to retrieve the infrared emissivity at different applied temperatures. The experimental data were interpreted by means of Plank's theory of black-body radiation. Finally, all the investigated textiles appear to be suitable for thermal shielding applications.