Chapter 5: Fibre Types & Classification Flashcards
What is Cotton?
Used for over 7000 years, during time no fibre came close to it.
- cellulose fibre
- produced by cotton plant
- part of the hibiscus family
Known for durability, appearance, natural comfort
Cotton morphology
- natural staple fibre 10-65mm length
- cellulose
- thin and tubular
- white-beige in colour
Cotton burning test
Approach to flame: doesn’t shrink away
Inside flame: burn quick, yellow flame
After removed from flame: continue burn slow
Ashes/residue: light grey ash
Smell: similar to burning paper
Properties of cotton
- Lustre: not naturally
Mercerisation finish = low lustre - Drape: Poor
Fabric construction can help - Abrasion Resistance: moderate to good
Depends on fabric structure - Strength: relatively strong
Due to intricate fibre structure and crystalline regions (70%), stronger when wet - Absorbency: high
Can hold 27x own wight, comfortable in hot weather - Elasticity: relatively inelastic
High % crystalline - Thermal: cool fibre, good conductor of heat
Breathes, doesn’t irritate skin, smooth - Dimensional Stability: retains shape well
Not elastic so if stretched wont return - Chemicals: broken by acids, resistant alkalis, organic solvates good
- Sun: not easy damage, only after prolonged time
- Colour: hydrophilic, easy dyed
- Shrink: tend to when washed due to fabric construction
Pre shrinkage finishes tho
What is wool?
- One of the oldest textile fibres
- Distinct properties
- Science not able to create another fibre that has all that natural properties
- uniqueness = structure of fibre
Absorbers moisture, insulate against heat/cold, resist flame. - versatile end uses
- natural bio component fibre
- properties enhanced through fibre blends
Wool Morphology
- comes from sheep
- natural staple fibre
- made of multi-cellular protein
- Matt appearance
- crimp, wavy
- off white colour
Wool burning test
Approach to flame: shrink away
Inside flame: smoulders and burns slowly
After removed from flame: tends to self extinguish
Ashes/residue: crushable black ash
Smell: burning hair
Properties of Wool
- Lustre: nor typically Increased tho with fibre blends - Drape: exceptional Modified with fibre blends - Abrasion Resistance: moderate Due to fibre scale construction - Strength: weak due high amorphous structure - Absorbency: extremely absorbent due to amorphous - Elasticity: excellent recovery - Thermal: poor conductor heat, excellent insulator, self extinguishing properties Warm fibre - Dimensional: poor - Chemical: resistant to acids, weekend by alkalis, damaged by chlorine - Sun: yellows over time - Colour: excellent , easy dye - Shrink: poor, Mixed water, heat, soap, will Matt, weaker wet,
What is Rayon?
- The first artificial fibre created
- developed Count Hilario de Chardonnet France 1889
- made from wool pulp (cellulose)
- originally called “artificial silk” lustre and soft handle
- 1920s boom years
- during which 6x more popular than silk
Rayon Morphology
- Made from cotton linters/tree pulp
- Produced by extrusion process
Rayon Burning Test
Approaching flame: doesn’t shrink away
Inside flame: burns quick, yellow flame
Removed from flame: continues burn, afterglow
Ash or residue: light grey ash
Smell: burning paper
Properties of Rayon
- Lustre: lustrous fibre
- Drape: good
- Abrasion Resistance: fair
- Strength: low-medium
Reduces 40-70% wet - Absorbency: highly
- Elasticity: poor
- Thermal: good conductor of heat=cool fibre, highly flammable (cellulose)
- Dimensional: poor, often drop out of shape
- Chemicals: damaged by acids, disintegrate by strong alkalis, attached by bleaches high concentrations
- Sun: resistant
- Colour: depends on dyestuff
- Shrink: will shrink more than cotton
What is Polyester?
- poly polymers discovered as part of Wallace H. Carothers research in 1930s for US company DuPont
- discontinued in favour of nylon
- first fibre produced Terylene
- 1946 DuPont purchase rights to produce in US
- first produced commercially 1951
- magic fibre
- universal blender, contribute it’s properties without detracting from that of other fibre blended with.
Polyester Morphology
- made from chemical reaction between dicarboxylic acid and dihydric alcohol
- melt spun, shape form by that of hole in spinneret
- filaments
- can be modified, delustre, bright, white, dyed
- variety of cross section shapes
- made from polymer chips
- crystalline structure
- can be used as drawn filament, texturised, cut into staples
- available less than 1.0-10 deniers, microfibres 0.3-0.9
Polyester Burning Test
Approaching flame: fuses, shrinks away
Inside flame: burn slow, melts, black thick smoke
Removed from flame: usually self extinguishing
Ash or residue: hard black bead
Smell: sweet
Properties of Polyester
- Lustre: varies
Depends cross section, additives to fibre - Drape: good
Depend yarn and fabric construction - Abrasion Resistance: excellent
- Strength: relative strong
Due to high oriented fibres construction, high crystalline, same as wet - Absorbency: poor
Lowers comfort, cotton blend improves - Elasticity: relative
Due to crystalline - Thermal: moderate not as warm wool, poor heat conductor, excellent insulator
- Dimensional: excellent
Can be permanently heat set - Chemicals: resists acids and alkalis, dry clean with organic solvents
- Sun: resistant
- Colour: hydrophobic, best dyed fibre stage
- Shrink: low shrinkage
Due to hydrophobic and crystalline
What is Nylon?
- First manufactured synthetic fibre create by Dr. Wallace H. Carothers while working for DuPont
- creation announced to woman’s group 1939 NY world fair by Charles Stine (Vice President)
- first nylon product toothbrush
- 1940s use woman’s stockings
- hard obtain in ww 2 nylon used make war materials eg parachutes, ropes
Nylon Morphology
Fibres are:
- Polyamides made by various substances, Hexamethylenediamine and adipic acid
- melt spun, shape formed by hole i spinneret
- variety cross section shapes
- filament
- can be high/regular tenacity, delustre, bright, dyed
- polymer chips
- crystalline in structure
- can be used as drawn filament, textured, cut into staples, spun
- available many deniers
Nylon Burning Test
Approaching flame: fuses, shrinks away
Inside flame: burn slow, some melt
Removed from flame: usually self extinguish
Ash or residue: hard grey or tan bead
Smell: like celery
Properties of Rayon
Lustre: variable Drape: good in sheer, medium in stiff Abrasion Resistance: excellent Strength: relative Absorbency: low Elasticity: relative Thermal: moderate thermal, low heat resistance, has thermoplasticity Dimensional: excellent Chemicals: not resistant acids, fairly to alkalis, organic solvents fine Sun: fairly, unless prolonged exposure Colour: hydrophobic, best dyed at fibre stage Shrink: low due above and crystalline
