Length of staple fibre is one of the most important characteristics.
In
general a longer average fibre length is to be preferred because it
confers a number of advantages.
Firstly, longer fibres are easier to process. Secondly, more even yarns can
be produced from them because there are less fiber ends in a given
length of yarn. Thirdly, a higher strength yarn can be produced from
them for the same level of twist.
The measurement of natural fibres is a task as there is a greater
variation in the length of different types of same material and even
within the same type.
The properties of cotton fibre vary; for different varieties of cotton, for
different growth areas, for different climatic conditions, from year to
year.
A representative sample is taken and the individual fibre length is
measured. These values are arranged accordingly and the mean and
coefficient of variation are calculated. This method is mainly used
for the man made staple fibres as the variation in length is not
much.
The fibres are straightened and placed on an oil plate and the
individual length of fibres (around 300-500) is measured.
After combing, the fibres are placed on a
velvet pad.
Then ranked into groups so that length
range in each group is 1/8''.
Groups are then weighed on a sensitive
balance.
Mean length =WL/ W
where L = Group length
W = Mass of fibre in length group
Upper Quartile Length ( 1/4 th of the fibres by
mass is longer than that length).
The instruments used are 1. Baer sorter 2. Comb sorter
Where, the working principle is the same for both.
The instrument consists of a bed of 9 bottom comb
stand 8 top combs which control the fibres and
enable the sample to be fractionalised in to length
groups.
The hairs are pulled down from the tufts by means of
grip, the longest first, the combs being successively
dropped as required and combed, straightened and
laid down on velvet pad with the straight edge
against the marked line.
In the diagram
OQ = 1/2 OA
OK = 1/4 OP
KS = 1/2 KK
OL = 1/4 OR
From the comb sorter diagram, various
parameters can be analysed.
Mean length:
To determine the area of the comb sorter
diagram using the special transparent scale.
Divide the area expressed in square mm by
the length of the base in mm to obtain mean
fibre length.
Mean fibre length (mm) = Area of Comb sorter
Diagram/ Length of the base (mm)
Maximum length:
The length LL can be measured by scale from
the tracing.
Effective length:
A geometric construction over the area of
sorter diagram will give the effective length
of the fibre. It is the length which contributes
more effectively in the yarn formation.
Percent short fibres:
Percent short fibres = RB x 100, where OB is the
total length of the OB diagram.
Optical scanning method using Digital fibro
graph: It is an optical instrument which
scans a randomly Aligned tuft of fibres and
to ensure the length of specification of the
length frequency distribution. It employs a
totally new Concept of fibre length called
Span length
High Volume Instrument (HVI): The WIRA
fibre diagram machine (Wool Industries
Research Association)Advanced fibre
information system
The mass of a known length of fibre is
termed as linear density and this can be
expressed as weight per unit length.
Widely used units are:-
Micron Microgram /Inch
Denier Weight in grams of 9000meters
Tex Weight in grams of 1000 meters
Decitex Weight in grams of 10,000meters.
Fineness is one of the most important fibre
characteristics.
Influences:
Fibre fineness influences primarily:
Spinning limit
Yarn strength
Yarn evenness
Yarn fullness
Drape of the fabric product
Lustre
Handle
Productivity of the process.
It has been known since long that fibre fineness
plays an important role in determining the quality
of resultant yarn and hence that of the resultant
fabrics. In general fiber fineness is important due to
the following factors:
1. It affects Stiffness of the Fabric
As the fiber fineness increases, resistance to
bending decreases.
It means the fabric made from yarn of finer fiber is
less stiff in feel.
It also drapes better.
It affects Torsional Rigidity of the Yarn
Torsional rigidity means ability to twist.
As fiber fineness increases, torsional rigidity of
the yarn reduces proportionally.
Thus fibers can be twisted easily during
spinning operation.
Also there will be less snarling and kink formation
in the yarn when the fine fibers are used.
3. Reflection of Light
Finer fibers also determine the luster of the fabric.
Because there are so many number of fibers per unit
area that they produce a soft sheen.
Also the apparent depth of the shade will be lighter in
case of fabrics made with finer fibers than in case of
coarser fibers.
4. Absorption of Dyes
The amount of dye absorbed depends upon the
amount of surface area accessible for dye out of a
given volume of fibers. Thus a finer fiber leads to
quicker exhaustion of dyes than coarser fibres.
Ease in Spinning Process
A finer fiber leads to more fibre cohesion because the numbers of
surfaces are more so cohesion due to friction is higher.
Also finer fibers lead to less amount of twist because of the same
increased force of friction.
This means yarns can be spun finer with the same amount of twist as
compared to coarser fibers,
6. Uniformity of Yarn and Hence Uniformity in the Fabric
Uniformity of yarn is directly proportional to the number of fibres in
the yarn cross section.
Hence finer the fiber, the more uniform is the yarn. When the yarn is
uniform it leads to other desirable properties such as better tensile
strength, extensibility and luster.
It also leads to fewer breakages in spinning and weaving.
There are different methods to assess the fineness of
the fibres:
Gravimetric method:
The basic principle of this method is to count the
number of fibres in a given bunch, measure the
mean length and weigh them. Considering the
cylindrical material, the
ld can be calculated using the formula :
n x l x m/9000*100
n; No. of fibres
l; avg length of fibres
m; mass in gram
Mostly used for manmade fibres.
In this method, fibres are mounted on the
microscope and the diameter is measured
after magnification.
This methods is widely used for wool fibres and
man made fibres having circular diameter.
To avoid error due to swelling, the mounting
medium like Liquid paraffin can be used for
effective results.
The latest instruments can measure the
diameters of 5000-10000 samples in a minute
by using micro [Link] can calculate
linear density also along with fineness.
A sample of known weight is compressed in a cylinder
of known volume and subjected to an air of known
pressure.
The rate of air that flow through this porous plug of fibres
is measured. The flow meter calibrated I term of fineness
instead of volume per unit time.
The rate of air flow will depend much on the surface area
of the material. Most commonly used instruments are
Micronaire, HVI etc.
The resistance of the specimen to the flow of air is related to
the average fineness of fibre in the specimen. The rate of
flow of air is indicated on a scale graduated in absolute
unitof micronaire value, a combined measure of fineness
and maturity.
Cotton fiber consists of cell wall and lumen.
The maturity index depends upon the thickness of the
cell wall.
The fibers are considered ripe if they have maturity index
between 50-80%,
unripe if they have MI between 30 to 45% and dead when
they have it less than 25%.
Unripe fibers have neither adequate strength nor
adequate longitudinal thickness. They lead to loss of yarn
strength, neppiness, high proportion of short fibers,
varying dyeability, processing difficulties mainly at the
card.
To measure maturity some method of
measurement is required. The degree of
cell wall thickening may be expressed as
the ratio of the actual cross-sectional
area of the wall to the area of the circle
with same perimeter (see figure)
After sorter diagram test tufts of cotton are
left on the velvet pad. Each tuft is laid on a
microscope slide. the fibres are parellel but
separated, and a cover slip put over the
middle.
The fibres are then irrigated with a small
amount of 18% caustic soda solution which
has the effect of swelling them. After the
fibers should be observed under projection
microscope. This enables the fibers to be
classified into three groups:
The direct method for fiber maturity is not practicable routine
test. So indirect method can be used for the same.
After sorter diagram test tufts of cotton are left on the velvet
pad. Each tuft is laid on a microscope slide. the fibres are
parellel but separated, and a cover slip put over the middle.
The fibres are then irrigated with a small amount of 18% caustic
soda solution which has the effect of swelling them. After the
fibers should be observed under projection microscope. This
enables the fibers to be classified into three groups:
(1) Normal fibers (N): mature fibres with a well-developed cell
wall cotton fibre become rod-like after swelling. These fibres are
classed as 'normal'.
(2) Thin-walled fibres: these category fibres lying between the
other two classes.
(3) Dead fibres (D): if the wall is less than one-fifth of the total
width the fibre is classed as dead (see figure
From a sample of 100 fibres it would be abnormal to find that all
the fibres could be classed as normal fibres.
The standard chosen was
N D = 67 7 = 60
It is also desirable that the result should be proportional to the
degree of [Link] a constant specific volume,
and a perimeter, p, constant for a pure strain of cotton, then
A H (hair or fibre weight per centimeter)
Therefore,
H
The maturity ratio to be derived from these conclusions is the
ratio which expresses the actual fibre weight per cm, H, in
relation to a standard fibre weight per cm H s. Thus, Maturity
ratio M = H / Hs
By definition, the standard fibre weight per cm, H s, is that which
the fibre would have if it were fully matured in the arbitrary sense
of having an N-D of 60.
The relation between the immaturity count and fibre
weight.
A linear relationship found between H and N-D: H =
0.937 (N-D) + 135.2
Hence, H/H s = [0.937 (N-D) + 135.2] / [0.937 (67 7) +
135.2] = 0.0049 (N-D) + 0.706 To round the
figures, Maturity ratio M = [(N-D)/200] + 0.7
The maturity ratio is therefore directly proportional to
the degree of thickening of the cell wall.
The relationship between M and
= 0.577 M
The theoretical range for the value of M will be from
0.2, all dead, to 1.2, all mature or normal.
Fibre fineness is another important quality characteristic which plays a
prominent part in determining the spinning value of cottons.
If the same count of yarn is spun from two varieties of cotton, the yarn
spun from the variety having finer fibres will have a larger number of
fibres in its cross section and hence it will be more even and strong than
that spun from the sample with coarser fibres.
Fineness denotes the size of the cross-section dimensions of the fibre.
As the cross-sectional features of cotton fibres are irregular, direct
determination of the area of cross-section is difficult and laborious.
The Index of fineness which is more commonly used is the linear density
or weight per unit length of the fibre.
The unit in which this quantity is expressed varies in different parts of the
world.
The common unit used by many countries for cotton is micro grams per
inch and the various air-flow instruments developed for measuring fibre
fineness are calibrated in this unit.
Following are some methods of determining fibre fineness
Gravimetric or dimensional measurements.
Air-flow method.
Vibrating string method.
Some of the above methods are applicable to single
fibres while the majority of them deal with a mass of fibres.
As there is considerable variation in the linear density from
fibre to fibre, even amongst fibres of the same seed, single
fibre methods are time-consuming and laborious as a
large number of fibres have to be tested to get a fairly
reliable average value.
It should be pointed out here that most of the fineness
determinations are likely to be affected by fibre maturity,
which is another important characteristic of cotton fibres.
Measurement of fibre fineness cannot be done by measuring the
diameter (except for some fibres) because
Cross sections of most of the fibres are not circular.
Variation in the diameter along the length is very high (for natural
fibres).
The cross section shape of the fibres within a sample may not be
uniform.
So, the most convenient way of expressing fibre fineness is by measuring
the weight of a known length of fibre, i.e. linear density.
Mass = Volume Density
= Cross-sectional area length Density
So, Mass/length a Cross sectional area
Tex = mass in gms of 1000 mts of yarn
Decitex = mass in gms of 10000 mts of fibre/yarn
Denier = mass in gms of 9000 mts of fibre/yarn
Micronaire = mass in gms of 1 inch of fibre (for cotton)
Decitex = 10
-2
( ( d
2
)/4) = 7.85 10
-3
d
2
= density in gm/cc, d = diameter in m
) Gravimetric method (Cotton):
From comb sorter diagram, fibre tufts are taken and at spacing of 1 cm
tufts sections are sliced out with the help of razor.
100 fibres are counted and weighed on a sensitive micro-balance.
Convert into mass/length.
b) Gravimetric method (for wool):
Wool has almost circular cross-section.
After completing a fibre length test the fibres are collected and
thoroughly cleared of oil, allowed to condition and then weighed on
microbalance.
The total fibre length is calculated and knowing the number of fibres
weight/unit length is derived.
Mean Wt/unit length = W / hn
where, h = the class length (cm)
n = number of fibres in each class
W = total wt of all the classes (mg)
dgrav (microns) = (97190W / hn)
Assuming wool cross section is circular and density of wool is 1.31 g/cc
c) By microscope:
Applicable to the fibres with circular
cross section.
A suitable random and representative
sample is conditioned for 24 hrs in
standard testing atmosphere.
Fibres are cut into suitable small length
and slide is prepared by carefully mixing
the fibres into mountant.
By air-flow method: AIR-FLOW METHOD
(MICRONAIRE INSTRUMENT):
The resistance offered to the flow of air
through a plug of fibres is dependent
upon the specific surface area of the
fibres.
Fineness tester has been evolved on this
principle for determining fineness of
cotton.
The specific surface area which determines the flow of air
through a cotton plug, is dependent not only upon the linear
density of the fibres in the sample but also upon their maturity.
Hence the micronaire readings have to be treated with caution
particularly when testing samples varying widely in maturity.
In the micronaire instrument, a weighed quantity of 3.24gram of
well opened cotton sample is compressed into a cylindrical
container of fixed dimensions. Compressed air is forced through
the sample, at a definite pressure and the volume-rate of flow of
air is measured by a rotometer type flow meter. The sample for
Micronaire test should be well opened cleaned and thoroughly
mixed (by hand fluffing and opening method). Out of the
various air-flow instruments, the Micronaire is robust in
construction, easy to operate and presents little difficulty as
regards its maintenance.
For a constant mass of fibre ( i.e. the
actual volume) the air flow is inversely
proportional to the specific surface area
By measuring the rate of air flow under
controlled conditions, the specific
surface area (s) of fibre can be
determined and consequently the fibre
diameter (also the fibre weight/unit
length)
