1.1 Materials and Their Applications Flashcards
Why is choosing the right textile materials for products complex?
Because of the interplay between fibre, yarn, construction method and finishing processes
What will the final choice of fabric be influenced by?
The product fun gin and the material’s physical and aesthetic properties
What is a fibre?
A fine, hair-like thread
What is a yarn?
A long continuous length of twisted fibres used in the construction of woven and knitted fabrics
What is a finishing process?
An additional process to improve the appearance and/or performance of a fabric
What are aesthetics?
The beauty or tastefulness of the look of a product and how attractive it is to the consumer
What is tensile strength?
The ability to resist breaking under tension
What is abrasion resistance?
The ability to resist surface wear caused by rubbing contact with another material
What is elasticity (crease resistance)?
The ability to be deformed and then return to the original shape when the force is removed
What is absorbency?
The ability to absorb and retain liquid
What is easy care?
The ability to maintain optimum appearance with the minimum of effort when laundering
What is colour fastness?
The ability to retain dye during the manufacturing process and when washed or exposed to sunlight
What is electrostatic charge?
The ability for static electricity ti develop in fibres under exceptionally dry conditions
What is thermal insulation?
The ability to trap air preventing the transfer of heat through the material
What is corrosive solvent resistance?
The ability to withstand attack and decay from substances such as chlorine bleach
What is microorganism and insect resistance?
The ability to withstand attack and decay from organisms such as bacteria and moths
What is flammability?
The ability to burn or ignite causing fire or combustion
What is thermoplasticity?
The ability to become pliable and mouldable when heated, enabling textures and creases to be set and retained once cooled
What is formability?
The ability to manipulate and deform fabrics without damaging them
What is the handle?
Evaluates how a fabric behaves, performs or feels when touched
What is the drape?
The term used to describe the way a fabric hangs under its own weight
What is the lustre?
Refers to a textile materials ability to reflect light from its surface so it appears glossy
What are polymers?
A long chain of molecules made up of fibre forming atoms that are linked together
What are the main sources of fibres?
- Natural cellulose
- Natural protein
- Regenerated fibres
- Synthetic fibres
What are regenerated fibres?
A fibre made from natural cellulose that has been chemically modified
What are synthetic fibres?
A fibre made entirely from synthetic polymers based on petrochemicals
What are some examples of natural cellulose fibres?
- Cotton
- Linen
- Ramie
What are some examples of natural protein fibres?
- Wool
- Silk
What are some examples of regenerated fibres?
- Viscose
- Acetate
What are new generation lyocell fibres?
More environmentally friendly as the cellulose is harvested from sustainably grown trees and some of the fibres are produced using a closed loop system that reuses the chemicals needed to modify the cellulose
What are some examples of new generation lyocell fibres?
- Modal
- Lyocell (Tencel)
What are some examples of synthetic fibres?
- Polyamides (nylon)
- Polyesters (polyester, trevira, polartec)
- Polyacrylic (acrylic)
What are elastomeric fibres?
Made from synthetic polymers with the physical property of elasticity. Only small amounts are needed to give a lot of stretch. The fibres form the core of corespun yarn used to produce stretch yawn and wave and stretch fabrics.
What are examples of elastomeric fibres?
Elastane (Lycra and Spandex)
What are chlorofibres and flurofibres?
Man made synthetic polymers, mostly used as coatings on textiles. Coating involves applying a layer of polymer to the surface of a fabric to make it stain resistant, water repellent and breathable
What are some examples of chlorofibres and flurofibres?
- Chlorofibres: polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
- Flurofibres: (PTFE) or brand name Teflon
What are inorganic fibres?
Created from natural elements which after processing at high temperatures are transformed into fibres
What are some examples of inorganic fibres?
- Glass
- Carbon
- Metallic
- Ceramic
What are smart materials?
Materials that react to external stimuli or changes in its environment without human intervention
What are some examples of smart materials?
- Reactive materials: changes to heat
- Photochromic dyes: changes in UV light
- Phase changing materials: absorb, store and release body heat
What are modern materials?
A material that has been developed through the invention of new or improved processes
What are some examples of modern materials?
- Microfibres
- Microencapsulated fibres and fabrics
- Nanofibres
What are microfibres?
Extremely fine fibres such as tactel and trevira
What are microencapsulated fibres?
A micro fibre that has tiny capsules containing health or cosmetic chemicals embedded into its hollow centre
What is a nano fibre?
An extremely lightweight string fibre that is less than one micron in diameter
What is the simple workshop test for flammability?
- Use fabric samples and paper fuses
- Light the fuse and use a stopwatch to tile how long it takes for the flame to reach the wire marker
- Record time and other observations
What is the simple workshop test for crease resistance?
- Fabric folded in half and placed between pieces of paper under the weight
- Leave it to recover for 5 minutes then calculate distance between its two ends
- Record results and repeat
What is the simple workshop test for shrink resistance?
- Mark 10cm square
- Retain a control samke and wash remaining samples at different temperatures
- Dry and iron samples
- Work out percentage shrinkage
What is the simple workshop test for colour fastness?
- Samples sewn onto white fabric and washed, dried samples are compared to a control sample
What is the simple workshop test for strength?
- Prepare same sized samples
- Make a small cut at the warp, west and bias edges
- Twar the samples along the cut to see which tears easily and which requires more force
What is the simple workshop test for pilling?
- Fabric samples stapled onto wooden block
- Glass paper stapled onto smaller wooden block
- Glass paper rubbed over the surface of the fabric
- Number of passes required for pills to start forming is recorded
What is the industrial test for flammability?
- Fabric sample held vertically in metal frame
- Small flame from bunsen burner is applied for 2 seconds, 3, 4, 6, 8 and 10 seconds until it catches fire
- Test complete if fabric burns for more than one second
- Times recorded
What is the industrial test for crease resistance?
- Sample folded in half and compressed under a load
- Load removed and one end is clamped
- Dial of instrument rotated
- End if time allowed for recovery the angle is recorded
- Larger the angle the better the crease resistance
What is the industrial test for shrink resistance?
- Mark reference points on fabric
- Samples dried
- Remeasure to look for change
- Fabric shrinkage shown as a negative percentage
- Fabric stretch shown as positive percentage
What is the industrial test for colour fastness?
- Samples cut
- Samples exited in white fabric neville and washed for set time
- Dried samples compared to control and assessed using grey scale
What is the industrial test for strength?
- Sample stretched and distance travelled is plotted
- Test is repeated
- Non woven fabrics are hayseed for strength in the same way
What is the industrial test for pilling?
- Circular samples clamped onto one of the machines discs and weight is out onto each disc
- Samples rubbed against abrasive fabric
- Machine controls and records the number of rubbing cycles
- Samples examined
- Samples compared with contol sample
