Insulation properties of composite cell foamed materials suitable for wet suits

An experimental programme to determine the compressibility and thermal insulation of composite materials suitable for pressure compensated wet suits is reported. Test rigs capable of measuring the stress-strain characteristics at various strain rates (simulating the rate of descent) and the insulation properties of various wet suit material samples, including pressure compensated materials, under hydrostatic pressure, have been utilised. Good agreement between previously published theoretical models and the experimental data is obtained. The theoretical model is reviewed, and the findings of the experimental programme are reported in this paper. In particular, thermal insulation compensated to ambient pressure resists dimensional change and maintains its insulation effectiveness at substantial depths.