Microfibers

Invented in Japan in the early 1980s, microfibers are also known as microdenier
fibers. Acrylic, nylon, polyester, lyocell and rayon can be produced as microfibers. In
1986, Hoechst A.G. of Germany produced microfiber in Europe. This fiber made it
way into the United States in 1990 by DuPont.[9]

Microfibers in textiles refer to sub-denier fiber (such as polyester drawn to 0.5

denier). Denier and Dtex are two measurements of fiber yield based on weight and
length. If the fiber density is known, you also have a fiber diameter, otherwise it is
simpler to measure diameters in micrometers. Microfibers in technical fibers refer to
ultra-fine fibers (glass or meltblown thermoplastics) often used in filtration. Newer
fiber designs include extruding fiber that splits into multiple finer fibers. Most
synthetic fibers are round in cross-section, but special designs can be hollow, oval,
star-shaped or trilobal. The latter design provides more optically reflective properties.
Synthetic textile fibers are often crimped to provide bulk in a woven, non woven or
knitted structure. Fiber surfaces can also be dull or bright. Dull surfaces reflect more
light while bright tends to transmit light and make the fiber more transparent.

Very short and/or irregular fibers have been called fibrils. Natural cellulose, such as
cotton or bleached kraft, show smaller fibrils jutting out and away from the main fiber
structure.[10]

Typical properties of selected fibers

Fibers can be divided into natural and artificial (synthetic) substance, their properties
can affect their performance in many applications. Synthetic fiber materials are
increasingly replacing other conventional materials like glass and wood in a number
of applications.[11] This is because artificial fibers can be engineered chemically,
physically, and mechanically to suit particular technical engineering.[12] In choosing a
fiber type, a manufacturer would balance their properties with the technical
requirements of the applications. Various fibers are available to select for
manufacturing. Here are typical properties of the sample natural fibers as compared to
the properties of artificial fibers.

Table 1. Typical Properties of Selected Natural Fibers[13][14]

Fiber Tensile Elastic Elongation Water
Diameter Specific Strength Modulus at Break Absorption
Fiber type
Gravity
(in) (Ksi) (Ksi) (%) (%)
Wood Fiber
0.001-
1.5 51-290 1500-5800 N/A 50-75
0.003
(Kraft Pulp)
Musamba N/A N/A 12 130 9.7 N/A
0.004-
Coconut 1.12-1.15 17.4-29 2750-3770 10-25 130-180
0.016
0.008-
Sisal 1.45[15] 40-82.4 1880-3770 3-5 60-70
0.016[15]
Sugar Cane 0.008- 1.2-1.3 26.7-42 2175-2750 1.1[16] 70-75
Bagasse 0.016
0.002-
Bamboo 1.5 50.8-72.5 4780-5800 N/A 40-45
0.016
0.004-
Jute 1.02-1.04 36.3-50.8 3770-4640 1.5-1.9 28.64[17]
0.008
Elephant 0.003-
0.818[18] 25.8 710 3.6 N/Ab
grass 0.016[18]
a Adapted from ACI 544. IR-96 P58, reference [12] P240 and [13]
b N/A means properties not readily available or not applicable

Table 2. Properties of Selected Artificial Fibers

Fiber Elasticit Maximu
Elongati Water Meltin
Diamet Specifi y m
Tensile on at Absorpti g
er c Modulu Working
Fiber type Strengt Break on Point
Gravit s
h (Ksi)
(0.001 i y Temp
(%) (%) (°C)
n) (Ksi) (°C)
Steel 4-40 7.8 70-380 30,000 0.5-3.5 nil 1370 760[19]
[19]

220- 10,400-
Glass 0.3-0.8 2.5 2-4 N/A 1300 1000
580 11,600
260- 33,400- 3652-
Carbon 0.3-0.35 0.90 0.5-1.5 nil N/A
380 55,100 3697[20]
220-
Nylon 0.9 1.14 140 750 20-30 2.8-5.0 199
265
1.14- 2,500- Decom
Acrylics 0.2-0.7 39-145 20-40 1.0-2.5 180
1.18 2,800 p
1.38- 300- 9,000- Decom
Aramid 0.4-0.5 2-12 1.2-4.3 450
1.45 450 17,000 p
Polyester 0.4-3.0 1.38 40-170 2,500 8-30 0.4 260 170
Polypropyle
0.8-8.0 0.9 65-100 500-750 10-20 nil 165 100
ne
Polyethylen
e
0.92 11-17 25-50 nil 110 55
1.0-40.0 725
Low
0.95 50-71 20-30 nil 135 65
High
a Adapted from ACI 544. IR-96 P40, reference [12] P240, [11] P209 and [13]

b N/A means properties not readily available or not applicable

The tables above just show typical properties of fibers, in fact there are more
properties which could be referred as follows (from a to z):[14]

Arc Resistance, Biodegradable, Coefficient of Linear Thermal Expansion, Continuous

Service Temperature, Density of Plastics, Ductile / Brittle Transition Temperature,
Elongation at Break, Elongation at Yield, Fire Resistance, Flexibility, Gamma
Radiation Resistance, Gloss, Glass Transition Temperature, Hardness, Heat
Deflection Temperature, Shrinkage, Stiffness, Ultimate tensile strength, Thermal
Insulation, Toughness, Transparency, UV Light Resistance, Volume Resistivity,
Water absorption, Young's Modulus

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fibers.

 Ceramic matrix composite

 Dietary fiber
 Fiber crop
 Fiber simulation
 Fibers in Differential Geometry
 Molded fiber
 Nerve fiber
 Optical fiber

References
1.

 Harper, Douglas. "fiber". Online Etymology Dictionary.

  Kadolph, Sara (2002). Textiles. Prentice Hall. ISBN 978-0-13-025443-6.
  Saad, Mohamed (Oct 1994). Low resolution structure and packing
investigations of collagen crystalline domains in tendon using Synchrotron Radiation
X-rays, Structure factors determination, evaluation of Isomorphous Replacement
methods and other modeling. PhD Thesis, Université Joseph Fourier Grenoble I.
pp. 1–221. doi:10.13140/2.1.4776.7844.
  "man-made fibre". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
2013.
  Kauffman, George B. (1993). "Rayon: the first semi-synthetic fiber product".
Journal of Chemical Education. 70 (11): 887. Bibcode:1993JChEd..70..887K.
doi:10.1021/ed070p887.
  "synthetic fibre". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
2013.
  Serope Kalpakjian, Steven R Schmid. "Manufacturing Engineering and
Technology". International edition. 4th Ed. Prentice Hall, Inc. 2001. ISBN 0-13-
017440-8.
  James Edward Gordon; Philip Ball (2006). The new science of strong
materials, or, Why you don't fall through the floor. Princeton University Press.
ISBN 978-0-691-12548-0. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  Cohen, Allen (11 November 2011). J. J. Pizzuto's Fabric Science (10th ed.).
Fairchild Books. p. 51. ISBN 978-1-60901-380-6.
  Hans-J. Koslowski. "Man-Made Fibers Dictionary". Second edition. Deutscher
Fachverlag. 2009 ISBN 3-86641-163-4
  Shenoy, Aroon (1999). Rheology of Filled Polymer Systems. Kluwer Academic
Publishers. ISBN 978-0-412-83100-3.
  Hollaway, C. (1990). Polymers and Polymer Composites in Construction.
Great Britain: Bulter and Tanner Ltd. p. 209. ISBN 978-0-7277-1521-0.
  Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures". Sixteenth Edition. United States of
America: Portland Cement Association. 2018. pp. 237–247. ISBN 978-0-89312-277-
5.
  "Polymer Properties – Omexus by Special Chem".
  "Sisal Fiber – World of Sisal".
  Sain, M. (2014). "The use of sugarcane bagasse fibres as reinforcements in
composites". In Faruk, Omar; Sain, Mohini (eds.). Biofiber Reinforcements in
Composite Materials. Elsevier Science & Technology. ISBN 9781782421221.
  Narayanan, Venkateshwaran (2012). "Mechanical and Water Absorption
Properties of Woven Jute/Banana Hybrid Composites". Fibers and Polymers. 13 (7,
907–914). doi:10.1007/s12221-012-0907-0.
  K. Murali Mohan, Rao (2007). "Tensile Properties of Elephant grass fiber
reinforced polymer Composites". Journal of Materials Science. 42 (9, 3266–3272).
doi:10.1007/s10853-006-0657-8.
  "Metallic Materials – TEADIT" (PDF).

20.  "Carbon Fiber – Americans Elements".

21.

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