Cotton Fiber

Botanical classification of cotton:

1. Gossypium harbaceum: Plant length 3-6
Flower colour – yellow.
2. Gossypium hirsutum: Plant length 644444
Flower colour: - Red
Both are mainly cultivated in America and India.
3. Gossypium peruvianum: They are mainly produced in Peru and other South American
countries.
4. Gossypum barbedense: Plant length 6-15
Flower colour – Yellow.
They produce fine silky Sea Island cotton.

Major Cotton cultivating countries:

The main cotton producing countries are USA, India, Russia, Egypt, Brazil, USSR, China,
Mexico, Pakistan, Turkey, Argentina Peru etc. The USA produces almost one-fifth the
total crop.

Environment of cotton cultivation:

1. Cotton cultivation mainly takes place in tropical and sub-tropical climates sunshine
heavy rainfall; higher humidity is required for cotton cultivation.
2. Sufficient sunshine is necessary for cultivation while frost will kill the plants
3. Cotton plants can survive in dry but best cultivation can be done in place where rain fall
is 20” to 60” per year.
4. Irrigation is necessary when rainfall is less.

Cultivation of cotton:
The cultivation of cotton frees and the growing condition isnot same according to the
climates and temperature of the cultivation.
Growing of cotton-
1. Seed planted.
2. Two weeks later two leaves appear on the plant.
3. At five or six weeks later, the first flower appears.
4. At eight to nine weeks the first flower blooms.
5. Flower fall of leaving boll.
6. Seed hairs start to grow inside the bolls.
7. For 16-18 days, fiber length and perimeter achieved.
8. For the next 22-50 days, cellulose is deposited inside the fibers.
9. When cellulose deposition stops, the bolls dry and cracks to open.
 10. These bolls are picked up manually or by machine. This picking period is continue
for 1-3 months
11. Then ginning is done to collect the cotton fibers.

Consequence process of cotton fiber production:

 The cotton seeds are usually shown by machine is continuous stream in raw three to
four apart.
 When the plants are a few inches high, the rows must be thinned by cutting out the
undesired plants (chopping).
 Upland cotton goods to a height of about four feet and blooms two to the three
months after planting.
 The blossoms last but a days and when they fall of the boll begins to develop.
 These seeds pods or bolls contain the seeds to which the fibres are attached.
 When the cotton is ripe, the bolls burst exposing a soft, fluffy mass of fibres.
 The cotton must be picked soon after the bolls open to prevent the fibres from
beaming discolored and dirty from exposure to the sun and weather.
 The halls on the lower part of the plant and under side of the brunches develop
before the other, Because of this uneven development it is necessary to go over a field
several times in order to pickers can do this.

Ginning:

The freshly picked cotton has seeds in it, this cotton is called seed cotton. The treading is
done in this condition also, but normally the treading is done after separation of the
fibres from their seed. So, the process, involves to separate the cotton fibres from seeds
is called ginning.

Objects of ginning:
 To separate fibres fully from its seeds.
 To collect seeds and waste together.
 To collect fibre without any faults.
 To separate whole fibre.

Types of ginning:
1. Saw ginning
2. Roller ginning
3. Macarthy ginning

1. Saw ginning:
The disc number f saw gin is 10-100 and production capacity is 100-1000kg/hr.
Procedure of saw gin-
 The cotton with seed is stored in hopper feeder by feed table or air flow.
 Spiked roller throws the cotton with seed on grid bar.
 The discs of saw gin permits to entry of seed free fiber through the hole of bar.
 The empty path of bars (both sides of saw teeth) permits to entry the fibers but not
seeds.
 The separated seeds fall on conveyors.
 The cotton lints are separated from saw teeth by proper air flow.
 The separated cotton lintsis transported by conveyor pipe.

2. Roller ginning:
The main part of roller ginning is spiled roller by which seeds are separated from fiber by air
flow.

1. Feed hooper.
2. Feed roller.
3. Spiked drum.
4. Net.
5. Inclined net.
6. Drum.
7. Ejecting drum.
8. Accelerating drum.
9. Functional roller.
10. Backing of roller.
11. Doffing roller.
12. Perforated sheet.
The working procedures follows-
 The seeded fiber comes in contact with feed roller by the help of feed roller.
 The seeded fibers are embedded on the two feed roller and are feed to spiked roller.
 The trash are removed by the action of spike and are stored on trash chamber by
perforated sheet.
 Then seeded fiber pass through inclined net by air flow and attached to the spiked
drum. Here accelerating drum separates the cotton fiber and pass it.
 The accelerating drum transports the cotton fibers.
 Rough surface of functional roller takes only fibers and the seeds are retained on
backing roller.
 The doffing roller separates the fibers from functional roller and transports through
delivery pipe & the seeds fall on conveyor.

Difference between saw gin and Roller gin:

Saw gin
a. The saw gin is used mainly for short
and medium length cotton.
b. Saw ginning is a faster process.
c. It is cheaper
d. The main functional parts of saw gin
are disc of saw teeth and grid bar.
e. American cotton is saw ginned.
f. Production capacity 100-1000kg/hr
Roller gin
a. The roller gin is used for longer tuft
of fibres.
b. Roller ginning is a slower process.
c. It is costly.
d. The main functional part of roller
gin is spiked roller.
e. Asiatic types(Indian and Pakistani
cotton)cotton is roller ginned.
f. Production capacity 100 kg/hr

Lint & linters:

Lint: The fibres, which are primarily obtained after separating cotton fibre from seeds, are
called lint. It is long fibre, which is used for textile application. e.g. yarn, fabric etc.
Linters: After separating lint, there are some short fibers called linters. The short
fibers(linters) are found after second ginning. It is used as the source of pure cellulose for
industry and for stuffing upholstery and it is used for acetate and rayon.

Bi-product of cotton fiber:

1. Seeds:
Uses: Oils (This oil is best raw material for soap manufacturing.)
Residue: After extraction of oil is used as food.
2. Hulls:
Uses: -Fertilizer.
-Foods for animals.
 -Paper
-Plastic
3. linters:
Uses: -Photographic paper.
-Special bank notes.
-Plastic.
-Acetate and rayon.

Types of commercial cotton:

1) Sea Island cotton:
 This is the highest quality and the most valuable of all commercial cotton.
 It grows on the coast of the Gulf of Florida, Barbados and in other adjacent islands
where the climate is favorable.
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 The average length of these fibres is about 2 (51 mm) and the diameter is 1500 inch
(0.017 mm).
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s
 It can be used for spinning,counts as high as 200 ( 200 ).
 It is famous for its uniformity, maturity and highly developed luster, twist and
soften.
 Its colour is white to cream
2) Egyptian cotton:
 These are two kinds of Egyptian cotton ,one brown and the other is white.
 ;ike sea island cotton very regular and contains few immature or dead fibers.
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 Its average length is 1.5-1.75(38-44mm) and diameter is about 1500 inch (0.017mm)
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s
 It can be spun as 200 ( 200 )count.But white Egyptian cotton is not suitable for

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counts higher than 70 .

3) South American cotton:

 This has a staple of 1-1.5(25-38mm).
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 It has a mean diameter of 3800 inch (0.0195mm).
 It is very suitable for mixing with regenerated manmade fiber.

4) American cotton:
 This is cultivated in the United States.
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''
 Its staple length is o.9-1.25(23-32mm)and the diameter is 1200 (0.021mm)
  It has god natural colour .
 It cannot be used for the extremely fine counts

5) Indian cotton:
 This is short fiber of 0.6-0.8(15-20mm)in length.
 It is therefore only suitable for spinning coarser counts

6)China cotton:
 This is lowest commercially acceptable grade.
 Its staple length is of 0.5-0.7(13-18mm)
 Its twist is not highly developed and rather than harsh
 It is not suitable for spinning a good yarn and is usually used in mixture with better
qualities.

Key properties of cotton:

Origin of Fiber length Diameter Limit for
cotton In inch (mm) (mm) spinning
Sea island 2(50.8MM) 1 2.95 tex
(0.017)
1500''
Egyptian 1.5-1.75(38.1- 1 2.95 tex
44.5mm) (0.017)
1500''
South 1-1.5(25.4-38.1mm) 1 8.43 tex
American (0.019)
1300''
American 0.9-1.25(22.7- 1 8.43 tex
31.7mm)
(0.021)
1200''
Indian 0.6- 1 Coarse only
0.8(15.220.3mm)
(0.021)
1200''
China 0.5- 1 Coarse only
0.7(12.717.8mm)
(0.021)
1200''

Classification of cotton with reference to the staple Length:

Commercial cotton may be classified broadly into categories with reference to the staple
length as follows –
a) Long staple:
Length: - 1 – 2.50” (26 – 65 mm)
Diameter - 10-15 microns (0.99 – 1.62 den)
Example: - Sea Island cotton, Egyptian and American Pima cottons.
b) Medium staple:
Length - 0.50” – 1.3125” (12-33 mm)
Diameter - 12-17 microns (1.62 – 1.98 den)
Example: - American upland and Peruvian types.
(c) Short staple:
Length - 0.375” – 1” (9-26 mm)
Diameter - 13-22 microns (1.35 – 2.61 den)
Example – Indian and Asiatic cotton.

Classification of cotton fiber according to maturity:

1) Mature fibre: Well-developed secondary sell wall and very small human.
2) Immature fibre: Fibbers with thinner secondary sell wall, larger lumen.They can not
exhaust the dye molecules properly indyeing or printing hats why they produce
paler shade in dyeing.
3) Dead fibre: So called dead fibres have essentially only the primary cell wall .The
lumen occupied the bulk of fiber .They remain undyed in dying.

Bangladeshi cotton:
Mainly American cotton are produced in Bangladesh, Commercially hybrid cotton are
producing at Meherpur, Jessore,Kustia and Gazipur.The quality or Bangladeshi cotton is
improving now. Length, colour, maturity are also very good. It is possible to produce
minimum 60s yarn from Bangladeshi cotton fibers.

Chemical composition of raw cotton:

Component Main location Relative amount (%)
Cellulose Secondary wall 86.8
Oil and waxes Cuticle 0.7
Pectins Primary was 1.0
Carbohydrate Primary was 0.5
Proteins Lumen 1.2
Salts Lumen 1.0
Water 6.8
Others 2.0

The oils and waxes of cotton consists of:

1) Glycerides, which are readily saponifiable oils and fats.
2) Waxes which are difficult to saponify.
3) Unsaponifiable oils
4) Free fatty acids.
5) Traces of soaps.

Grading of cotton:
In order to grade the quality of raw cotton, the rating is done according to the level of the
length, fineness, strength, color, lusture, natural strands and impurities in the fibre. These
are divided in different ways according to the production land.
Quality of cotton: Quality of cotton depends on-
 Color.
 Staple length.
 Fineness.
 Strength.
 Maturity.
 Trash content.
 Uniformity ratio.

Considerable points of grading of cotton:

The assessment of cotton is carried out traditionally by the cotton ‘classer’ who depends
upon personal skill and long experience in judging cotton quality by inspection and feel.
In arriving at his assessment, the classer takes note of (1)The staple length,(2)The colour and
(3)The amount of impurity in the cotton and the quality of its preparation.

Grading of cotton of different countries:

(From high grade to low grade)
American cotton Egyptian cotton Indian cotton
Middling fair Extra fine Super choice
Strict good middling Fine Choice
Good middling Good Super fine
Strict middling Fully good fair Fine
Middling Good fair Fully good
Strict low middling Fair Good
Low middling Fully good fair
Strict good middling
Ordinary
Good ordinary

Polymer system of cotton fiber:

Cotton is a crystalline fiber,cellulosic polymer.The repeating unit in te cotton polymer is
cellubiose which consists of two glucose units. Its polymer system is about 65-70%crystalline
and corresponding about 35-30%amorphous.
Degree of polymerization: 2000+
Functional group: OH, Cell-CH2OH

Cross sectional structure of cotton fibre:

1. Cuticle: the outermost layer of cotton is known as the cuticle and is a thin film of fats,
pectines and waxes.
2. Primary cell wall:Inside the cuticle the primary wall is composed mainly of cellulose
in which the fibers are arranged in a criss-cross
pattern.
3. Secondary cell wall:
 Under primary wall, secondary wall is composed
of cellulose whichconstitutes the balk of the fiber.
 The outer most S1 is comparatively thin layer of
fibrils oriented vertically with an angle of 20-35 0.
In this region the fibrils periodically reverse the
direction of the spiral.
 The S2 zone which is situated inside S 1, accounts
for the bulk of the cellulose content and in this
case, the fibrils are again in the form of helices
with a somewhat lower pitch of 200-300 and which
like those S1, are organized so that there are
periodical reversal in the direction of the spiral.
 In very mature fiber the S 3 layer can be detected
adjacent to the linning of the lumen and it consists
of the mineral salt and the proteins derived from
the dyeing up of the cell.

4. Lumen: The hollow central core of cotton fibers is known as the lumen.
Fibril:
Fibrils are bundles of linear polymer which form the small fibrous structure. A fibre is made
by the combination of many fibrils. In primary cell wall of the cotton fibre, the fibrils are
about 20 mm thick and in secondary cell were are 10 mm thick, but their length is yet
unknown.

Convolution:
The mature fiber can be recognized by the Under the microscope, the cotton fiber looks a
twisted ribbon or a collapsed and twisted tube. These twists are called convolution.
Convolution of Egyptian cotton: 230 /cm and of Indian cotton: 60/cm.

Chemical structure of cotton fiber:

(C6H10O5)n

CH2OH CH2OH CH2OH

H O H O H O
OH H O OH H O OH H O
OH H H H
H OH H OH H OH
 Link  Link
  - Glycolcydic link between C -C
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Features (structural) of cellulose:

 Cellulose is a polymer of  – D glucose.

 Branchless linear large polymer.

  -D glucose are linked by  -glycocydic bond.

 Bond is made between C and C atom of  -D glucose.

1 4

 Molecular weight is above 5,00,000.

 One cellulose polymer contains 300-1500 glucose polymer.

Chemical Characteristics:
 Water insoluble but soluble in NaOH and CS2 mixture, Ammoniacal Cu (OH) 2 etc.
 Do not react with I2.

Properties of cotton fibre:

1. Molecular structure: Cellulosic.
2. Physical properties:
i) Length: .3 cm to 5.5 cm.
ii) Diameter: 16 to 20 microns.
iii) Cross section: Kidney shape
iv) Color: White, grey, cream.
3. Tensile properties:
i) Tenacity(gm./den): 3.0-5.0 (In dry state)
3.6-6.0 (In wet state)
ii) Elasticity: Elongation at break 3.0-7.0%
iii) Resiliency: Low.
iv) Moisture regain: 8.5%and raised to around
25-30% water at 100% Relative humidity.
v) Specific gravity: 1.54
4.. Chemical properties of cotton fiber:
i) Effects of bleaches: – Resistance to bleach, but H 2O2, NaOCl, NaOCl2, Ca (OCl)Cl are used
as bleaching agents for cotton processing.
ii) Effects of acids and alkalis: Dissolved in high concentrated mineral acids such as HCl,
H2SO4 but high resistant to alkalis that’s why NaOH, Na 2CO3, and used for scouring of
cotton. Concentrated NaOH is also used for cotton mercerizing.
iii) Effect of organic solvents: Have resistant ability to most organic solvents such as dry
cleaning agents.
 v) Effect of heat: Cotton has an excellent resistance to degradation by heat. It
begins to turn yellow after several hours at 1200c and decomposes markedly
at 1500c as a result of oxidation.
vi) Effect of sunlight: There is a gradual loll of strength when cotton is expressed
to sunlight and the fiber turns yellow.
vii) Effect of insects: Cotton is not attacked by moth grubs or beetles.
viii) Micro-organism: Cotton is attacked by fungi and bacteria.
ix) Dye ability: Direct, Reactive, Sulphur and Vat dye.

Faults of cotton fiber:

 Neps: Small groups of entangled fibers, which form at cotton processing. In spinning
neps are difficult to eliminated or to comb. They impair the quality and outward
appearance of yarns.
 Fiber strings: Strongly roped groups of fibers of different shapes. The same as neps, fiber
strings appear at cotton processing. They can be well combed in spinning but as neps
may appear which are difficult to eliminate.
 Coils: Slightly roped groups of fibers. Their presence is undesirable as they easily form
neps and strings. Mainly short fibers and ill fibers are forming this type of faults. This
presence renders difficult yarn production and impairs the quality.
 Trash: Trash is defined as particles above 500 micro meters trash typically accounts for
1%to 5% of baled cotton. Mainly bits of leaves, boll parts, and stems are defined as trash.
 Motes: Small and immature seeds and their fragments which fall through the grates in
grains.
 Crushed seed: Parts of seeds crushed during primary cotton processing.
 Bearded motes: Small bits of seed hull with fibers. Formed at seed crushing during
primary cotton processing and at further seed cult to eliminate.
 Dust: Defined as representing particles between 50 and 500 micrometer, dust maybe
exhausted into a waste collector.

Chemical reaction of cellulose:

Cellulose is an active chemical with three hydroxyl groups attached to each glucose residue.
Those in the 2 and 3 positions behave as secondary alcohols; the hydroxyl iin the 6 positon
acts as a primary alcohol.
These hydroxyl groups take part in normal chemical reactions and a great number of
cellulose esters and ethers have been made.
Oxidation of cellulose gives rise to oxy-cellulose.
1

2 Increased strength of cotton fibre for wetting:

When water molecules penetrate into the interior of fibre, it lies between the fibrils and into
the amorphous regions of the fibre polymer where they can easily form hydrogen bonds
with free cellulose hydroxyl groups and the water absorption causes the swelling of the
secondary sell was but little fibre elongation. Although absorbed water acts as a plasticizer,
it also cements the cellulose chains and fibrils together by hydrogen bonding .These are the
reasons of increasing the strength of cotton fiber for wetting.

Chemically Modified cotton:

1.PA cotton: Treatment of cotton with acetic anhydride in acetic acid converts it to partially
acetylated cotton (PA cotton). This material looks like original cotton. It has no smell and is
non-toxic. But in many of its properties, PA cotton differs from the normal cotton fibres.
Most important of all, it has a great resistance to heat than cotton. At 250 C, cotton looses
one-third of its strength in three minutes where as PA cotton in similar yarn looses one third
of its strength after twenty-five minutes at the same temperature. For these properties of PA
cotton it can be used to make laundry press cover and lasts for long time.
 It also withstands the attacks of micro-organism of mildew and rotting.
 It has chemical resistance. In 20% HCl, it looses its one-third of its strength in eight
hours, where as ordinary cotton looses about two-thirds.
 Better electrical insulator.

Uses:
Sand bags, fishing nets and lines, weather resistance fabric etc.

2. AM COTTON: When cotton is treated with 2-aminoethylsulphuric acid in sodium

hydroxide, another form of chemical modification takes place. The fiber retains its essential
structure, but its properties have changed. The new fiber is known as AM cotton.
3. CM cotton: Cotton treated with monochloroacetic acid and then sodium hydroxide is
converted into CM cotton.
4. CN Cotton: Treatment of cotton with acrylonitrile yields a chemically modified cotton
described as cyanoethylated(CN).
5. PLcotton: Treatment with propiolactone converts cotton into a modified cotton described
as PLcotton.

Average maturity of cotton fibre:

The proportion of immature fibre to mature fibre is called average maturity, which is an
important factor in determining the quality of the cotton.
In ordinary commercial cotton, about one quarter of the fibres will be immature. Sometimes,
the proportion of mature cotton reaches 90 per cent, but such high ‘maturity count’s are rare.
In commercial upland cotton, maturity counts of more that 84 per cent are described as
‘hard-bodied’. Average maturities like between 68 and 78 percent and cotton with maturity
counts below about 67 percent are regarded as immature.

Absorbency of cotton fibre:

The molecules are called hygroscopic nature. Cotton is very absorbent fibre. Cotton consists
– OH group, which is polar. Its positive portion affects the negative portion of water and
negative portion affect the H+ of H2O. So, cotton can absorb easily in water.
The amorphous polymer systems are also liable for its being absorbent. It is the crystalline
regions are too small for the water molecules. The amorphous region, which has enough
empty places, permits easy entry of water and this it is more absorbent.

Ligno cellulose &Pecto-celloulose:

Pecto cellulose: Cellulose fibre containing cotton and pectin is called pecto – cellulose.

Ligno-cellulose: Cellulose fibre containing lignin is called ligno cellulose.

Diference between pecto and lingo-cellulose:

Properties Pecto-celloulose Ligno-cellulose
Strength in all condition Stronger Weak
Stiffness Moderate High
Resiliency Good Bad
Alkali Non resistant Resistance to alkali
Bleach Affected by it No Affected by it
Cellulose High Medium
lusture Low High

Ultimate:
The unit cell beyond which subdivision is not possible without loss of fibre’s identity.

End uses of cotton:

 Cotton fabrics combine remarkable durability with attractive wearing qualities.
Cotton fabrics have a pleasant feel or handle. They are cool in hot weather.
 Cotton is used in great quantity as a fabric for hot-weather wear; it is able to provide
warmth as well.
 Cotton garments are therefore comfortable and cool, passing on the perspiration
from tenbody into the surrounding air.
 The absorbency of cotton makes it an excellent material for house-hold fabrics such
as sheets and towels too.
 Cotton is widely used in making rainwear fabrics.
 The versatility of cotton has made it into the most widely used of all textile fibers.
Cotton is made into every type of garment and house-hold fabric. It goes into boots
and shoes, carpets and curtains, clothing and hats. Heavy cotton yarns and materials
are used for tyre cords and marquees, tarpaulins and industrial fabrics of all
description.