Fibre:

Fibre is a type of material having continuous filaments and somewhat similar to lengths of
thread. They can either be spun or twisted into yarns or can also be directly compressed into
fabric.
1
The textile, home furnishing industry makes used of many different types of fibres as its raw
materials. There are a number of factors influencing the development and utilization of all
different fibres. These include:

• Ability to be spun
• Availability in sufficient quantity
• Economy of production
• Properties desired for manufacturing a particular product.

Fibres can be classified into two ways:

• Natural Fibre: These fibres can be sourced from plants, animals and minerals.

Types of natural fibres:

- Vegetable Fibres
- Animal Fibres
- Mineral Fibres

• Man Made Fibre: These fibres include cellulosic and non cellulosic polymer
fibres. The fibres can also be sourced from mineral fibres, metallic fibres and rubber
fibres.
•

Cotton Fibre:
Cotton is a natural fibre, growing in the seed pod, or boll of the cotton plant. The fibre is
composed of about 90 % cellulose and around 6% moisture. The rest consists of natural
impurities.
Properties of cotton fibre:

Strength:

1. It is relatively strong.
2. Strength of fibre can be defined by the
ability to resist of being pulled or torn apart
when undergoes to tension.

Elasticity:
Elasticity means the extent to which a fibre can be
elongated by tension & then return to its original
shape.

Copyright by http://textilefabric.yolasite.com
Resilience:
1. It means the extent to which a fabric can be deformed by compression & return to its
original condition.
2. Finishing process does a lot to improve wrinkle resistant quality of cotton goods.
2
Drapability:
1. It is concerned with the ability of fabric to hang easily & fall into graceful to shape &
folds.
2. This quality depends on the kind of fibre, yarn, fabric construction & finish used to
final goods.

Absorbency:
1. It determines the amount of moisture taken up by the fibre from air.
2. Cotton fibre is very absorbent.
3. Twist in the yarn also influences absorbency.
4. Low twist yarn absorbs more moisture than high twisted yarn.
5. Fabric structure also plays role in absorbency. Looser structure will be more
absorbent than tighter one.
Chemical properties of cotton fibre:
Reaction to alkalis:
1. Alkali does not harm cotton fibre.
2. Strong alkali solution (NaOH) improves the qualities of cotton fibre.
3. The treatment of cotton fibre with sodium hydroxide & lustrous.
Reaction to acids:
1. Concentrated cold or diluted mineral acids like H2SO4 will damage cotton.
2. Weak organic acids like acetic acid will not damage cotton.
3. Care must be exercised when cotton comes in contact with acids.

Affinity for dyes:

1. Cotton has a good level of affinity for dyes.
2. Reactive, vat & azoic dyes are most commonly used to dye cotton.

Resistance to perspiration:
1. Human body sweat may be alkaline or acidic.
2. It depends on the individual’s metabolism.
3. Alkali perspiration does not harm cotton as it is resistant to alkali.
4. Acid perspiration causes a slight deteriorating effect, which leads discoloration.

Effect of heat:
1. Cotton has the ability to withstand moderate heat.
2. But extreme heat will cause cotton goods burnt.

Shrinkage:
1. Cotton fibres absorb water when it is wet.
2. It tends to shrink as it dries.
3. There are some chemical available for finishing process.
4. Such finishing can improve its shrinked.

Copyright by http://textilefabric.yolasite.com
Jute Fibre:
Known as the raw material for sacks all over the world. Jute is truly one of the most versatile
fibres gifted to man by nature that finds various uses in the form of Handicrafts. Next to
cotton, jute is the cheapest and most important of all textile fibres. Jute cultivation provides
3
work for millions of farmers, landless laborers, industrial workers and provides jobs for many
others, indirectly.

Characteristics of Jute Fibre:

Jute is a long, soft, shiny fibre that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is one of the
cheapest natural fibres, and is second only to cotton in amount produced and variety of uses.
Jute fibres are composed primarily of the plant materials cellulose, lignin, and pectin. Both
the fibre and the plant from which it comes are commonly called jute.

Chemical composition:

Cellulose 65.2 %

Hemicelluloses 22.2 %

Lignin 10.8 %

Water soluble 1.5 %

Fats & wax 0.3 %

Physical properties:
1. Specific gravity- 1.48
2. Moisture – St. M.R 13.75 & absorb 35 – 40% water of its dry weight.
3. Strength- Tenacity-dry 3.5-5 g/d wet lower than dry.
4. Elasticity-Breaking extension – 1.8% Recovery (%) very low. For high tenacity, less
extension, high stiffness Jute fibres is brittle & can holds less twist. So Emulsion is
added to make it soft.
5. Specific heat is 0.325
6. Resiliency-bad, Abrasion resistance moderate, Dimensional stability-good.

Chemical properties:
• Effect of bleaches: Not affect by oxidizing or reducing bleaches.
• Acids & Alkalis: Easily damaged by hot dilute or cold concentrated acids. Resistant
to alkalis.
• Organic solvents: Resistant to organic solvents.
• Sun light & heat: Poor resistant scorches at high temperature.
• Resistant to stains: Poor resistant to water borne stains.
• Biological properties: Scoured jute has good to excellent resistant to microorganisms
& insects.

Copyright by http://textilefabric.yolasite.com
 •

•
Heat: Burns rapidly, Soldering red after glow.
Conductivity: Moderate conductor of electricity & heat.

Wool Fibre:
Wool is a natural fibre sourced from animals. It grows from the skin of sheep, goats. Rabbit
4
and alpacas are also used for producing high quality wool. This natural fibre is composed of a
protein known as Keratin and is a relatively coarse fibre.

Physical properties of wool:

Strength:
1. Wool is the weakest of the natural textile
fibres.
2. Wool fibre is strengthened by the used of ply
yarns.
3. A hard twisted two ply yarn may be regarded
as an assurance of durability.
4. Tightly twisted single yarns also make a
strong fabric.
Elasticity:
1. Depending upon the quality of wool, the fibre may be stretched from 25-30 percent of
its natural length.
2. This characteristic reduces the danger of tearing under tension.

3. This characteristic contributes to the free body movements.

4. Wool & wool blend fabrics are given mechanical & chemical treatment to increase
their elasticity & provide better two way stretch.
5. The chemical treatment also gives better shape retention.
Resilience:
1. Wool fibre has a high degree of resilience.
2. Good quality wool is soft & resilient.
3. Poor quality wool gives a harsh feeling.
4. Due to the high degree of resiliency, wool fabric wrinkles less than some others.
Drapability:
It has excellent draping quality due to its pliability, elasticity, and resiliency.
Effect of heat:
1. Wool becomes harsh at 100˚C & begins to decompose at slightly higher temperature.
2. It has plastic quality which helps to have shape at melting temperature.
Effect of light: Wool is weakened by prolonged exposure to sunlight.
Chemical properties of wool:
• Reaction to alkalis: Wool is quickly damaged by strong alkalis.
• Reaction to acids:
1. Wool is damaged by hot sulphuric acid.
2. The fibre is not affected by other acids.
• Affinity for dyes: Wool fibre has high affinity for certain types of dyes, i.e. Acid
dyes, Basic dyes.

Copyright by http://textilefabric.yolasite.com
Resistance to perspirations:
Wool is weakened by alkali perspiration. That will cause discolouration.

Wool yarn
Short staple
Worsted yarn
Long staple
5
Carded only Carded & combed
Weaker Stronger
Softer Harder

Silk Fibre:
Silk is a natural fibre that is a solidifies protein secretion produced by certain caterpillars.

Physical Characteristics:
The fibre is a fine continuous strand unwound from the cocoon of silkworm. Silkworms are
generally cultivated. The fibre can be fine and coarse, is lustrous, smooth, light weight, strong
and elastic.

Chemical composition:
Silk gum of sericin 22-25 %
Silk or fibroin 62.5-67 %
Water 10-11 %
Salts etc 1-1.5 %
Polymer system:
The silk polymer is folded linear fibroin
polymer. It has no cystine linkage like wool
polymer 7 has high degree of orientation. The
polymer is 140 µm long & 9 µm thick, 65-70
% crystalline. It contains 16 anion acids.
Functional group: COOH, -NH2,-CONH-

Physical properties:
1. Specific gravity- 1.34
2. Moisture- St. M.R- 11%
3. Strength- Tenacity – dry 4.3 g/d ; wet = dry 92
4. Elasticity- Braking extension – 23.4% ; Recovery (%) – 52
5. Resiliency- Moderate, Abrasion resistance- good, Dimensional stability- good.

Chemical properties:
• Effect of acid: Degraded by acid increase luster & develop scroop.

Copyright by http://textilefabric.yolasite.com
 •

•
Effect of alkali: More resistance than wool dissolves in hot concentrated solution.
Effect of bleach: Same as wool, called degumming.
Effect of organic solvent: Resistance.
6
• Effect of heat: Poor conductivity, scorches easily due to breakage of side chain.
• Effect of sunlight: Very sensitive tends to degraded. More sensitive than any
other fibre.

• Effect of due: Ability- need lower temperature than any other natural fibre. Give
brighter shade with direct, acid, basic & vat.

Polyester Fibre:
Polyester is the general name for any group of widely used synthetic products. Polyesters are
strong, tough materials that are manufactured in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes.

Physical properties:
• Specific gravity- Dacron (1.38), Kodel (1.22).

• MR%- 0 to 0.4% Hydrophobic for extremely crystalline & lack of polarity.

• Tenacity- PET = Regular (4.5-5.5), high tenacity 15%, staple 35%, kodel 30%.

• Breading extension: Regular 30%, High tenacity 15%, Staple 35%, Kodel 30%.

Chemical Properties:
• Heat: The fibre becomes tacky at 235˚c & melts at 250˚c.

• Bleaches: Not affect by oxidizing or reducing bleaches.

• Stains: Resistant to water borne.

• Flammability: Burns slowly will shrink away from flame, yet will exhibit melt drip.

• Dyeability: Disperse & azoic dyes & some figments are used.

• Light: There is some loss of tensile strength over prolonged exposure but no
discoloration.

• Acids: Polyester is very resistant, even to mineral acid & thus has this advantage over
the polyamides concentrated sulphuric acid disintegrates the fibre.

• Alkalis: The fibre is very resistant. Although an ester, the relatively impenetrable
structure restricts alkaline attack to the surface. Strong hot alkalis results in slow
thinning of the diameter by saponification.

• Organic solvent: Adequate all-round resistance including dry cleaning solvent.

• Biological: Immune to micro-organism & larvae.

Copyright by http://textilefabric.yolasite.com
 •

•
Electrical: Polyester fibres have excellent insulating power. This together with low
regain results in the buildup of static charge, vales the latter is suitably dissipated.

Others: It is essential to control both laundering & drying temperature to prevent the
formation of undesirable wrinkles.
7
Nylon Fibre:
Nylon is a synthetic polymer, a plastic, invented on February 28, 1935 by Wallace Carothers
at DuPont of Wilmington, Delaware, USA. The material was announced in 1938 and the first
nylon products; a nylon bristle toothbrush made with nylon yarn (went on sale on February
24, 1938) and more famously, women stockings (went on sale on May 15, 1940). Nylon
fibres are now used to make many synthetic fabrics, and solid nylon is used as an engineering
material.

Physical properties:
• Specific gravity- 1.14

• Moisture regains 3.5-5% (not absorbent due to crystalline).

• Tenacity (g/d) - dry 4-9, wet= 90% of dry.

• P.S.I- (60-150)x1000

• Elasticity- Breaking extension 20-40%

• Recovery (%) - 100 at 8%, very grid of strong H-bonds in the polymer system.

• Hand- soft & smooth.

• Stiffness (g/d) 20-40

• Softening point- Nylon 6-149˚c, Nylon 6.6-229˚c

• Melting point- Nylon 6-215˚c, Nylon 6.6-252˚c

• Abrasion resistance- Excellent, resiliency-excellent, Dimensional stability-good.

Chemical Properties:
• Bleaches: Not affect by oxidizing or reducing bleaches but may be harmed by
chlorine & strong oxidizing bleaches.

• Stains: Resistant to water borne.

• Flammability: Burns slowly, salt-extinguishing melts & drips.

• Light: There is a gradual tendering minimized by the addition of stabilizer in the

fibre. No discolorations take places. For Nylon 6 gradual loss of strength on
prolonged extension.

• Acids: Nylon 66is attacked by mineral acids disintegrate or dissolve almost but is
inert to dilute acetic & formic acids, even of the boil. It dissolves in concentrated

Copyright by http://textilefabric.yolasite.com
 •

•
formic acid. Nylon 6 is attacked by mineral acid resistance to dilute boiling organic
acids.

Alkalis: Nylon is substantially inert to alkalis.

Organic solvent: Most organic solvent have little or no effect on nylon. Phenol
8
metacressol & formic acid dissolve the fibre but solvents used in stain removal & dry
cleaning do not damage it.

• Biological: Neither micro-organism nor moth-larvae attack nylon.

• Electrical: High insulating properties leads to static charges on the fibre.

• Others: Age appear to have no effect on the fibre. If stored away from light & other
deleterious effects, nylon will last for many years.

Acrylic Fibre:
Acrylic fibers are synthetic fibers made from a polymer (polyacrylonitrile) with an average
molecular weight of ~100,000, about 1900 monomer units. To be called acrylic in the U.S,
the polymer must contain at least 85% acrylonitrile monomer. Typical comonomers are vinyl
acetate or methyl acrylate. The Dupont Corporation created the first acrylic fibers in 1941
and trademarked them under the name "Orlon".

Physical properties:
• Specific gravity- 1.17

• Moisture regains- 1.24%

• Tenacity (g/d) – 2.5

• Elasticity- Breaking extension 20-40%

• Recovery (%) – 81 at 5% extension.

• Melting point- Do not melt.

• Abrasion resistance, resiliency, Dimensional stability is good.

Chemical Properties:
• Bleaches: Resistance.

• Resistance to stains: Good for water borne. Poor to fair for oil-borne stains.

• Flammability: Burns rapidly with bright, yellow flame produces not residue.

• Acids: Damaged only by strong concentrated acids good resistance to mineral acids &
acids used in spot & stain removal.

• Alkalis: Resistance to weak but affected by boiling strong detergent, washing soda
eventually lead to discoloration, yellowing.

• Organic solvent: Resistance to all.

Copyright by http://textilefabric.yolasite.com
 •

•
Conductivity: Fair for electrical, medium for heat.

Light: Resistance (not for long time).

Heat: Most heat sensitive tends to ignite immediately rather than melt & then burn as
do nylon & polyester fibre. Do not heat set.
9
• Dye: Acid, basic, permetalized, cationic.

Spandex Fibre:
Spandex, Lycra or elastane is a synthetic fibre known for its exceptional elasticity. It is
stronger and more durable than rubber, its major non-synthetic competitor. It is a
polyurethane-polyurea copolymer that was invented in 1959 by chemist Joseph Shivers at
DuPont's Benger Laboratory in Waynesboro, Virginia. When first introduced, it
revolutionized many areas of the clothing industry.

Physical properties:
• Specific gravity- 1.21 to 1.35

• Moisture regains- 0.6%

• Tenacity (g/d) – Low strength- 7

• Dimensional stability: Do not shrink in water, but shrink with temperature.

• Stretch: 500% elongation at break.

Chemical Properties:
• Effects of Bleaches: Resistant below at 150˚F.

• Resistance to stains: Good for water borne. Poor to fair for oil-borne stains.

• Flammability: Burns slowly, forms gummy residue.

• Acids & Alkalis: Resistant to acid, some discolor, damaged by hot alkalis, poor
conductive.

• Organic solvent: Resistance to all.

• Sunlight & heat: Resistant to light. High temperature reduces elasticity. Melt 230˚c.

• Dye: Acid, disperse & chrome dyes are used.

• Electrical: Low conductivity.

• Thermal: Poor conductor.

**************************

Copyright by http://textilefabric.yolasite.com