Textile fiber properties determine their end-uses.

1. Important properties of fibres: cotton, jute,
linen, wool, silk, polyester, nylon, acrylic,
spandex and viscose rayon.
EiTEX
By : Bademaw Abate (Lecturer)

2. Cotton
Plant fibers are composed of cellulose and therefore
are classified as natural cellulosic fibers.
Cotton Fibres - the king of fibres
Appearance Strength Absorbency
One of the best fiber suitable for our climate.
Cotton is a soft staple fibre that grown in a form
known as a boll around the seeds of the cotton plant.

3. Properties of Cotton:
Lustre
Tenacity / Strength
Elastic Recovery
Elongation
Density
Moisture absorption
Dimensional Stability
Low
Medium
Low
7%
1.54 g/cm3
8 %
Good.Dimensional Stability
Acids
Alkalies
Effect of sunlight
Insects
Flame
Shape
Good.
Damages, Weakens fiber
Resistant (mercerization)
Weakens fiber slowly.
Silverfish damages fiber.
Burns readily.
Fairly uniform in width, 12 - 20 µ,
length varies from ½ to 2½ inches.

4. Uses of cotton
An estimated 60% of cotton fibre is used as yarn and threads in a wide range
of clothing, most notably in shirts, T-shirts and jeans, but also in coats, jackets,
underwear and foundation garments.
Cotton is also used to make home furnishings, such as draperies, bedspreadsCotton is also used to make home furnishings, such as draperies, bedspreads
and window blinds, and is the most commonly used fibre in sheets,
pillowcases, towels and washcloths.
Its is made into specialty materials suitable for a great variety of applications:
fire-proof apparel, cotton wool, compresses, gauze bandages, sanitary towels
and cotton swabs.
Industrial products containing cotton include bookbindings, industrial thread
and tarpaulins.

5. Jute
The strong threads made from jute fibre are used worldwide in
sackcloth - and help sustain the livelihoods of millions of
small farmers.
The plant
Jute is extracted from the bark of the white jute plant,Corchorus
capsularis and to a lesser extent from tossa jute (C. olitorius).
The fibre
Dubbed the "golden fibre", jute is long, soft and shiny, with a length of 1 to
4 m and a diameter of from 17 to 20 microns.
It is one of nature's strongest vegetable fibres and ranks second only to
cotton in terms of production quantity.
Jute has high insulating and anti-static properties, moderate moisture regain
and low thermal conductivity.

6. Uses of jute
During the Industrial Revolution, jute yarn largely replaced flax and hemp
fibres in sackcloth. Today, sacking still makes up the bulk of manufactured
jute products.
Jute yarn and twines are also woven into curtains, chair coverings, carpets,
rugs and backing for linoleum. Blended with other fibres, it is used in cushion
covers, toys, wall hangings, lamp shades and shoes. Very fine threads can be
separated out and made into imitation silk (below).
Jute is being used increasingly in rigid packaging and reinforced plastic and is
replacing wood in pulp and paper.
Geotextiles made from jute are biodegradable, flexible, absorb
moisture and drain well. They are used to prevent
soil erosion and landslides

7. Flax
One of nature's strongest vegetable fibres, flax was also one of the
first to be extracted, spun and woven into textiles
The plant
Flax fibres obtained from the stems of the flax plant and are used
mainly to make linen.mainly to make linen.
The fibre
Like cotton, flax fibre is a cellulose polymer, but its structure is more
crystalline, making it stronger, crisper and stiffer to handle, and more
easily wrinkled.
Flax fibres range in length up to 90 cm, and average 12 to 16
microns in diameter.
They absorb and release water quickly, making linen comfortable to
wear in hot weather.

8. Properties of Flax:
Medium to high
Medium
Low
7%
1.5 g/cm3
12 %
Lustre
Tenacity / Strength
Elastic Recovery
Elongation
Density
Moisture absorption 12 %
Good.
Damages, Weakens fiber
Resistant
Good.
Good.
Burns readily.
Moisture absorption
Dimensional Stability
Acids
Alkalies
Effect of sunlight
Insects
To flame

9. Uses of flax
Fine and regular long flax fibres are spun into yarns for linen
textiles. More than 70% of linen goes to clothing manufacture,
where it is valued for its exceptional coolness in hot weather -
the legendary linen suit is a symbol of breezy summer elegance.
Linen fabric maintains a strong traditional niche among high
quality household textiles - bed linen, furnishing fabrics, and
interior decoration accessories.

10. curtains bed linen upholstery
table
dressings

11. Wool
Limited supply and exceptional characteristics have made wool
the world's premier textile fibre.
The animal
Sheep (Ovis aries) were first domesticated 10 000 years ago.
Sheep are shorn of their wool usually once a year.Sheep are shorn of their wool usually once a year.
After scouring to remove grease and dirt, wool is carded and
combed, then spun into yarn for fabrics or knitted garments.
Merino sheep produce up to 18 kg of greasy wool a year.

12. Properties of wool:
Lustre
Tenacity / Strength
Elastic Recovery
Elongation
Density
Moisture absorption
Dimensional Stability
Medium
Poor
Good
Good
1.30 – 1.32 g/ccm
14-18%
Subject to felting and relaxation
shrinkage.
Acids
Alkalies
Effect of sunlight
Insects
Flame
Shape
shrinkage.
Good
Low; many alkalies destroy the fiber.
Prolonged exposure deteriorates fiber
Damaged by moths and carpet Beetles.
Burns slowly when in direct flame, is
considered to be self extinguishing.
Length varies from 1½” to 15" has
scales on its surface.

13. Uses of wool
Wool is a multifunctional fibre with a range of diameters
that make it suitable for clothing, household fabrics and
technical textiles.
Its ability to absorb and release moisture makes woollen
garments comfortable as well as warm.
Two thirds of wool is used in the manufacture of
garments, including sweaters, dresses, coats, suits and
"active sportswear".

14. Cont..
Slightly less than a third of wool goes into the manufacture of
blankets anti-static and noise-absorbing carpets, and durable
upholstery (wool's inherent resistance to flame and heat makes
it one of the safest of all household textiles).
Industrial uses of wool include sheets of bonded
coarse .wool used for thermal and acoustic insulation in home
construction, as well pads for soaking up oil spills.

15. Silk
Developed in ancient China, where its use was reserved for
royalty, silk remains the "queen of fabrics“.
The animal
Silk is produced by the silkworm, Bombyx mori. Fed on
mulberry leaves, it produces liquid silk that hardens intomulberry leaves, it produces liquid silk that hardens into
filaments to form its cocoon.
The larva is then killed, and heat is used to soften the
hardened filaments so they can be unwound.
Single filaments are combined with a slight twist into one
strand, a process known as filature or "silk reeling".

16. Cont…
The fibre
A silk filament is a continuous thread of great tensile strength
measuring from 500 to 1 500metres in length, with a diameter of
10-13 microns.
In woven silk, the fibre's triangular structure acts as a prism that
refracts light, giving silk cloth its highly prized "natural shimmer".
It has good absorbency, low conductivity and dyes easily.It has good absorbency, low conductivity and dyes easily.
Silk fibres have fine draping qualities and are naturally crease-
resistant and bring about a warm feel to the skin.

17. Physical Properties of silk
Silk is one of the strongest natural fibers but loses up to 20% of its
strength when wet.
It has a good moisture regain of 11%.
Its elasticity is moderate to poor: if elongated even a small amount, it
remains stretched.
It can be weakened if exposed to too much sunlight.It can be weakened if exposed to too much sunlight.
It may also be attacked by insects, especially if left dirty.
Strong alkalies damage fiber
It is resistant to most mineral acids, except for sulfuric acid, which
dissolves it.
It is yellowed by perspiration.

18. Uses of Silk
Silk's natural beauty and other properties - such as comfort in
warm weather and warmth during colder months - have made it
sought after for use in high-fashion clothes, lingerie
and underwear.
It is used in sewing thread for high quality articles,
particularly silk apparel, and in a range of household textiles, including
upholstery, wall coverings and rugs and carpets.upholstery, wall coverings and rugs and carpets.
It is also being used as surgical sutures (below) - silk does not cause
inflammatory reactions and is absorbed or degraded after wounds heal.
Other promising medical uses are as biodegradable microtones for
repair of blood vessels, and as moulded inserts for bone, cartilege and
teeth reconstruction.

19. SPINNING METHODS
MELT SPINNING
In melt spinning, the fiber-forming substance is melted for extrusion through the
spinneret and then directly solidified by cooling in an air stream.
19
19
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andandandand optimumoptimumoptimumoptimum meltmeltmeltmelt viscosityviscosityviscosityviscosity
Examples: Nylon, Polyester

20. 20
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DRY SPINNINGDRY SPINNINGDRY SPINNINGDRY SPINNING WET SPINNINGWET SPINNINGWET SPINNINGWET SPINNING
Example: Viscose rayonExamples: Acetate, Acrylic

21. Rayon-Regenerated cellulosic fiber
Rayon is a man-made cellulosic fiber in which the starting
material is wood pulp or cotton linters which is physically
changed.
Because of its cellulosic content, it greatly resembles cotton in
its chemical properties.

22. Properties of Rayon:
Shape
Luster
Strength
Elongation
Elasticity
Density
Moisture
Controlled by manufacturer.
Diameter varies from 12 to 40
microns.
Vary from dull to bright.
2.4-3.0
19-24%
82%
1.5 for all types of rayon.Moisture
Dimensional stability
Resistance to acids
Sunlight
Insects
To heat
1.5 for all types of rayon.
10.7 to 16%
Poor for all types of Rayon.
Poor
Average
Silverfish damage
Extended exposure will eventually
degrade the fiber.

25. Polyester
This fibre is synthetic textile fibre of high polymers which are
obtained by esterification of dicarboxylic acids, with glycols or
by ester exchange reactions between dicarboxylic acid esters
and glycols.

26. Properties of Polyester:
Shape
Luster
Strength
Elongation
Elasticity
Density
Moisture
Dimensional stability
Controlled by manufacturers.
Controlled from semibright to dull.
4.5-6.0
Good
Good
1.38 g/cm
0.4%
Excellent
Resistance to acids
alkalis
Sunlight
Insects
To heat
Excellent
moderate
resistance is excellent
Excellent
will burn, but slowly and melting fibers
tend to drop off, preventing further
burning.

27. Uses of Polyester
Woven and Knitted Fabrics, especially blends.
Conveyor belts, tyre cords, tarpaulines etc.
For filling pillows
For paper making machine
Insulating tapes
Hose pipe with rubber or PVC
Ropes, fish netting and sail cloth.

28. Nylon
Nylon was the first synthetic fiber.
Nylon 6, 6 is a linear condensation polymer made from
hexamethylene diamine and adipic acid.
The nylons generally are tough, strong, durable fibers
useful in a wide range of textile applications.

29. Properties of Nylon 6,6
Shape
Luster
Strength
Elongation
Elasticity
Density
Moisture
Dimensional stability
Controlled by manufacturers.
Bright to Dull
5.0-8.8
Good
100%
1.1g/cm
4%
ExcellentDimensional stability
Resistance to acids
alkalis
Sunlight
Insects
To heat
Excellent
resistance is poor
moderate
Generally affects
Normally damages
Self extinguishing .

30. Uses of Nylon
Articles made from nylon, such as socks, ropes, tents, toothbrushes, car seat
belts, sleeping bags, curtains and umbrellas etc.
It is used for making fabrics in textile industry.
Nylon is a high strength fibre. It is used for making fishing nets, ropes,
parachutes and type cords.

31. Acrylic Fiber
Acrylic fibers are formed from copolymers containing greater
than 85% acrylonitrile monomer units, whereas modacrylic
fibers contain 35%–85% acrylonitrile units.
Polyacrylonitrile (PAN):- Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) is a
synthetic, semicrystalline organic polymer resin, with the
linear formula (C3H3N)n.linear formula (C3H3N)n.

32. Properties of Acrylic Fibres
Acrylic has a warm and dry hand like wool. Its density is 1.17
g/cc as compared to 1.32 g/cc of wool. It is about 30% bulkier
than wool. It has about 20% greater insulating power than wool.
Acrylic has a moisture regain of 1.5-2% at 65% RH and 70 deg
F.
It has a tenacity of 5 gpd in dry state and 4-8 gpd in wet state.
Breaking elongation is 15% ( both states)
It has a elastic recovery of 85% after 4% extension when the
load is released immediately.

33. Cont…
It has a good thermal stability. When exposed to temperatures
above 175 deg C for prolonged periods some discolouration
takes place.
Acrylic shrinks by about 1.5% when treated with boiling water
for 30 min.for 30 min.
It has a good resistance to mineral acids. The resistance to
weak alkalies is fairly good, while hot strong alkalies rapidly
attack acrylic.
Moths, Mildew and insects do not attack Acrylic.
It has an outstanding stability towards commonly bleaching
agents.

34. Uses of Acrylic Fiber
Socks, hats, gloves, scarves,
knit garments, sweaters, Coats
Blankets and shoe soles
Home furnishing fabrics:Home furnishing fabrics:
Carpets and rugs.

35. Spandex
Polyurethane is spandex. Polyurethanes are called
polyurethanes because in their backbones they have a
urethane linkage.
Spandex or elastane is a synthetic fibre known for its
exceptional elasticity.

36. Properties of Spandex
Can be stretched to almost 500% of its length.
Lightweight, soft, smooth, supple and more durable
Can be easily dyed and they also resist damage by body
oils, perspiration, lotions or detergents
Can be easily dyed and they also resist damage by body
oils, perspiration, lotions or detergents
No damage from "needle cutting“
Abrasion resistant
Can be found in both, clear and opaque lusters.

37. Uses of Spandex
Fashion wear: Such fashion
wear readily adapts to your body
shape, and leaves you brimming
with confidence.
exercise apparel
swimsuitsswimsuits
socks
underwear
surgical hose
support hose
motion capture suits
Home furnishings

38. Thank you!