Fibre Properties

Cotton
Cotton is a cellulosic fibre.

Characteristics of Cotton
• Comfortable Soft hand
• Good absorbency
• Color retention
• Prints well
• Dry-cleanable
• Good strength
• Drapes well
• Easy to handle and sew
Physical Properties of Cotton

• Color: The color of cotton fibre could be white, creamy white, bluish white,
yellowish white or grey.

• Tensile Strength: Cotton is moderately strong fibre. The strength is greatly

affected by moisture, the wet strength of cotton is higher than dry strength.

• Elastic Recovery: Cotton is inelastic and rigid fibre. at 2% extension it has an

elastic recovery of 74% and at 5% extension the elastic recovery is 45%.
Physical Properties of Cotton
• Effect of heat: Cotton has an excellent resistant to degradation by heat. It begins to turn yellow
after several hours at 120°C and decomposes marked by at 150°C. As a result of oxidation, cotton
is severally damaged after few minutes at 240°C. Cotton burns in air.

• Effects of Age: Cotton shows a small loss of strength when stored carefully. After 50 years of
storage cotton may differ only slightly from the new fibres.

• Effect of Sun Light: There is gradual loss of strength when cotton is exposed to sun light and the
fibre turns yellow.
Chemical Properties of Cotton
• Effects of Acids: Cotton is attacked by hot dilute acids or cold concentrated acids which it
disintegrates. It is not affected by cold weak acids.
• Effects of Alkalis: Cotton has an excellent resistance to alkali. It swells in caustic alkalis but does
not get damaged. It can be washed in soap solution without any problem.
• Effects of Organic Solvents: Cotton has high resistance to normal cleaning solvents. Cotton is
dissolved by the copper complexes, such as cuprammonium hydroxide, cupriethylene diamine
and concentrated 70% H2SO4.
• Effects of Insects: Cotton is attacked by moth-grubs or beetles.
• Effects of micro Organism: Cotton is attacked by fungi and bacteria. Mildew will feed on cotton
fabric, rotting and weakling the materials. Mildews and bacteria will flourish on cotton under hot
and humid condition. They can be protected by impregnation with certain types of chemicals.
Copper Nepthenate is one of the chemicals.
Polyester
• Polyester is a synthetic fibre.
• Chemically, polyester is a polymer primarily composed of compounds within the ester functional
group.
• Most synthetic and some plant-based polyester fibers are made from ethylene, which is a
constituent of petroleum that can also be derived from other sources.
• While some forms of polyester are biodegradable, most of them are not, and polyester
production and use contribute to pollution around the world.
• Longitudinal Section: Polyester has a smooth, uniform and rod-like longitudinal section.
Cross Section: The cross-section of polyester fiber is quite circular.
Characteristics of Polyester Fiber

1. Strong
2. Resistant to stretching and shrinking
3. Resistant to most chemicals
4. Quick-drying
5. Crisp and resilient when wet or dry
6. Wrinkle resistant
7. Mildew resistant
8. Abrasion-resistant
9. Retains heat-set pleats and crease
10.Easily washed
Properties Of Polyester

• Length and diameter: The length of the polyester fiber depends upon the end-use and can be
controlled while the diameter of fiber varies from 12-25 micrometer. (1 micrometer = 0.001mm)
• Colour and lustre: The colour of acrylic fiber is off-white and possess bright lustre as the incident
light is reflected evenly when it falls on the smooth surface of the fiber.
• Tenacity: The tenacity of polyester is quite high. There is no loss of strength in wet conditions.
• Elongation and elastic recovery: The polyester fibers have good elastic recovery.
• Density: The density of polyester is even heavier than nylon.
Properties Of Polyester
• Resiliency: Polyester is resilient, has low absorbency, doesn't wrinkle a lot in use, dries quickly,
holds it's form, and is pest-resistant.
• Moisture regain: Polyester fiber is hydrophobic due to the presence of a crystalline arrangement
that does not allow easy entry of water in the structure.
• Thermal Property: Polyester fiber is thermoplastic in nature and can be easily heat set and thus
softened and shaped accordingly.
• Acids: Polyester fibers are resistant to the action of acids.
Alkalis: The polyester fibers have a fair resistance to alkalis.
• Polyester has excellent resistance to sunlight but faces a problem of static charge.
Silk
• Silk is at the luxury end of the market because it is
expensive. Silk is a protein fiber of insect origin,
being produced as a fine filament of long length
from the body fluid of silkworm.
• The main countries that produce silk today are
China, Japan, Vietnam, Korea, Thailand, India,
Uzbekistan, Brazil and Romania.
Physical Properties of Silk Fiber:
• Tenacity:
The silk filament is strong. Silk loses strength on wetting.
• Specific gravity:
Degummed silk is less dense than cotton, flax, rayon or wool.
• Elastic-plastic nature:
Silk is considered to be more plastic than elastic.
Physical Properties of Silk Fiber:
• Elongation:
Silk fiber has an elongation at break of 20-25% under normal condition.
• Hygroscopic nature/ Absorbency:
Because silk has a very crystalline polymer system, it is less absorbent than wool but it is more
absorbent than cotton, but it dries fairly quickly.
• Thermal properties:
Silk is more sensitive to heat than wool.
• Electrical properties:
Silk is a poor conductor of electricity and tends to form static charge when it is handled. This
causes difficulties during processing, particularly in dry atmosphere.
Physical Properties of Silk Fiber:
• Drapes Property:
Silk fiber is flexible enough and if silk fiber is used to make garments, then the fabric drapes well
and this is why it can be tailored well too.
• Abrasion resistance:
Silk fabric possess good abrasion resistance as well as resistance to pilling.
• Effect of sunlight:
Silk is more sensitive to light than any other natural fiber. Prolonged exposure to sunlight can
cause partially spotted color change. Yellowing of silk fiber is generally occurred due to photo
degradation by the action of UV radiation of sunlight.
Chemical Properties of Silk Fiber:
• Action of water:
Treatment of silk in boiling water for a short period of time does not cause any detrimental effect
on the properties of silk fiber. But on prolonged boiling, silk fiber tends to loss its strength to
some degree. Silk fiber withstands, however, the effect of boiling better than wool.
• Effect of acids:
Silk is degraded more readily by acids than wool.
• Effect of alkalis:
Alkaline solutions cause the silk filament to swell.
Wool
• Wool is possibly the oldest fibre known to humans. It was one of the first fibres to be spun into
yarn and woven into a fabric.
• Wool mostly comes from sheep but also from alpacas, camels, and goats.
• Australia, Eastern Europe, New Zealand, and China are major wool producers.
Physical properties of Wool
• Crimps: Wool fibre is more or less wavy and twisted. This waviness is termed as ‘crimp’. The finer
the wool the more will be the crimps in it. Merino wool has 30 crimps per inch while coarse wool
has one or two.
• Effect of friction: Friction will soften the wool fibre especially when wet and thus is advantageous
in maintaining the smooth, soft texture of fabrics.
• Effect of heat: Low heat has no effect but strong heat weakens the fibre and destroys the colour
of the fibre.
• Effect of moisture: Wool is the most hygroscopic in nature. It can absorb up to 50% of its weight
and carry up to 20% of weight, without giving the feeling of being wet. Upon drying it losses
moisture slowly preventing rapid evaporation thus avoiding a chilling feel to the user. It absorbs
perspiration after violent exercise and guards the body against the sudden change in
temperature.
• Felting: Wool fibres interlock and contract when exposed to heat, moisture, and pressure.
Physical properties of Wool
• Heat conductivity: Wool fibre is a poor conductor of heat and therefore the fabrics made from
the fibre are considered most suitable for winter wear.
• Resiliency: Wool is highly resilient and comes to its original shape when hanged
• Strength: It is stronger than silk. When wet, wool loses about 25% of its strength. The longer the
fibre the greater will be the strength of the yarn.
• Stretchability: Wool is highly elastic. It is about 10 to 30% stretched when dry and 40 to 50%
when wet upon receiving pressure upon drying it readily regains its original dimensions.
• Shrink-ability: Wool is resistant to shrinkage. However long exposure to moisture may cause
shrinkage.
Chemical properties of Wool
• The action of acids: Dilute acids have little effect but either hot or concentrated acids weaken or
dissolve the wool fibres.
• The action of alkalis: Alkalis tend to make wool yellowish, strong solutions of sodium carbonate
when heated destroys the fibre sodium hydroxide is highly injurious to the wool fibre. However
borax and ammonia have no harmful influence on wool.
Characteristics of Wool Fibers and Products

• Anti-static — because wool can absorb moisture vapour, it tends not to create static
electricity, so it is less likely to cling uncomfortably to your body than other fabrics.
• Anti-wrinkle — at a microscopic level, each wool fibre is like a coiled spring that returns
to its natural shape after being bent. This gives wool garments natural wrinkle resistance.
• Biodegradable — When wool is disposed of, it will naturally decompose in soil in a matter
of months to years, releasing valuable nutrients back into the earth.
• Breathable — wool fibres can absorb large quantities of moisture vapour then move it
away to evaporate into the air. Wool clothing is extremely breathable.
• Elastic — natural elasticity helps wool garments stretch with your body, yet return to their
original shape. So fine wool clothing is ideal to wear when exercising.
• Fire-resistant — wool is flame retardant, doesn’t melt and stick to the skin, and even self-
extinguishes when the source of flame is removed.
Characteristics of Wool Fibers and Products
• Odour resistant — in contrast to synthetics, wool can absorb moisture vapour, which means
less sweat on your body. They even absorb and locks away the odours from sweat, which are
then released during washing.
• Renewable — every year sheep produce a new fleece, making wool a completely renewable
fibre source
• Stain-resistant — wool fibres have a natural protective outer layer that prevents stains from
being absorbed. And because wool tends not to generate static, it attracts less dust and lint.
• Soft — Wool fibres are extremely fine, enabling them to bend and feel soft and gentle next to
your skin.
• Sun-safe — wool is much better at protecting skin against UV radiation than most synthetics
and cotton.
• Warm and cool — in contrast to synthetics, wool is an active fibre that reacts to changes in
body temperature. So it helps you stay warm when the weather is cold, and cool when the
weather is hot.
Linen
• Linen is a textile made from hairs of the flax plant.
• It has variable lengths, most of which are very long.
• Linen fabric lasts a very long time.
• Linen is laborious to manufacture, but the fiber is very
absorbent and garments made of linen are valued for their
exceptional coolness and freshness in hot weather.
Physical properties of Flax/Linen fibers

• Colour – yellowish to gray

• Length – 18 to 30 inches
• Elongation at a break – 2.7 to 3.5 %
• Elastic recovery – not enough
• Moisture regain – 10 to 12%
• Effect of heat – a good conductor of heat
• Effect of sunlight – not affected
• Resiliency – very poor
• Lusture – brighter than cotton, slightly silky
• Abrasion resistance – moderate
Chemical properties of Flax/Linen Fibers
• Bleaching action: Flax (Linen) is made difficult to bleach than cotton.
• Effect of Acids: Flax not affected by weak acids but is damaged by concentrated acids.
• Effect of alkali: Flax has good resistance to alkaline solutions
• Effect of organic solvents: high Resistant
• Effect of insects: Flax is not attacked by moth, grubs or beetles.
• Effect of micro-orgasms: Attacked by fungi and bacteria, mild dew feed on linen fabrics
• Dyeability: Not good affinity to dyes. Direct and vat dyes are suitable for flax fiber.
Nylon
• Nylon was the first man made organic textile
fibre made from the raw materials from the
mineral kingdom.
• It is a manufactured fibre in which the fibre
forming substance is long chain, synthetic
polyamide having recurring amide groups (-CO-
NH-) as an integral part of the molecular chain.
Properties of Nylon
• Extremely elastic
• Very resilient and durable
• Abrasion-resistant
• Water-resistant
• Dries quickly
• Exceptionally strong
• Lustrous
• Easy to wash
• Can be precolored or dyed in a wide range of colors
• The hand feels: Soft and smooth.
Chemical properties of Nylon
• Acid: Nylon when attacked by mineral acids is disintegrated or dissolved almost. But is inert to
dilute acetate acid and formic acids even of the boil. It is dissolved in the concentrated formic
acid.
• Bleaches: Not attacked by oxidizing and reducing bleaches but may be harmed by chlorine and
strong oxidizing bleaches.
• Organic solvent: Most of the solvent have little or no effect on nylon. Solvents used in stain
removal and dry cleaning do not damage it.
• Light: No discoloration. Nylon gradually loss of strength on prolonged extension.
• Biological: Neither micro organism nor moth, larvae attack nylon.
• Electrical: High insulating properties leads to static charges on the fibre.
• Flammability: Burns slowly.
Spandex
• Spandex is a synthetic polymer. It is also called
Elastane Fiber.
• It is an elastomer, which means it can be stretched to
a certain degree and it recoils when released.
• These fibers are superior to rubber because they are
stronger, lighter, and more versatile.
• Since it is lightweight and does not restrict
movement, it is most often used in athletic wear.
Physical Properties of Spandex Fiber:

Length: It can be of any length. It may be used as filament or staple fiber.

Color: It has white or nearly white color.
Luster: It has usually dull luster.
Strength: Low strength compared to most other synthetic fiber.
Elasticity: Elastic properties are excellent. This is the outstanding characteristic of the fiber.
Flammability: It Burn slowly.
Electrical conductivity: It has Low electrical conductivity.
Chemical Properties of Spandex Fiber:

Acid: Good resistance to most of acids unless exposure is over 24 hours.

Alkalis: Good resistance to most of the alkalis, but some types of alkalis may damage the fiber.
Organic solvents: Offer resistance to dry cleaning solvents.
Bleaches: Can be degraded by sodium hypo-chloride. Chlorine bleach should not be used.
Dyeing: A full range of colors is available. Some types are more difficult to dye than others
Acrylic
• Acrylic fibre is the most popular among the synthetic fibres.
• It is generated from hydrogen, cyanide, acetylene and
petroleum.
• 100% acrylic is used mainly in sweater, jersey, knit outer wear
fabric and blankets.
• It is used as a blend component with cotton, viscose, wool etc. It
has good warmth and recovery property.
• It is also used for making carpet.
Properties of Acrylic fibre
• Length The length of the acrylic fibre can be controlled. That means, it may be in filament or staple
form.

• Fineness Fineness of this fibre is also controllable.

• Strength and Extension It is fairly strong fibre. Extension at break is 15%. Good recovery from
deformation.

• Elasticity It has an elastic recovery of 85% after 4% extension when the load is extremely released.

• Cross-sectional shape Normally round but cross-section of this fibre could be varied.

• Appearance It is about 30% bulkier than wool. Regarding insulating warmth, it has about 20% greater
insulating power than wool.
Chemical properties of Acrylic fibre
Effects of chemical
• Acid: It has good resistance to mineral acid.
• Solvent: It has excellent resistance to common solvents, oils, greases, and natural salts.
• Water: moisture regain of this fibre varies from 1.5% to 3%. Easy to wash and quick drying.

• Effect of heat and sunlight This fiber has very good thermal stability. Safe ironing temperature is
at 1600C. At 230 – 2350C acrylic sticks with the iron i.e. melting occurs. High temperature may
sometime causes yellowing of this fibre.

• Effect of Biological agents This fibre is unaffected by mildew, moulds, larves and insects.
Viscose
• Viscose is a man-made, natural polymeric cellulose or
regenerated cellulose filament or staple fiber.
• Viscose fabric is durable and soft to the touch.
• Rayon is commonly used as a substitute for cotton. This
fabric shares many traits with cotton, but in some cases, it
may be easier or cheaper to produce.
Physical Properties of Viscose Rayon:

Moisture absorption: It is the most absorbent fiber in common use.

Elongation at break: The elongation at break of viscose rayon is about 20%.
Elasticity: The elasticity of viscose rayon is not high. If stretched and then released from strain it
does not return quite to its original length. In general, elasticity of viscose rayon is less than 2~3%
Heat conductivity: viscose rayon has a lower heat resistance and poorer heat conductivity than
cotton.
Chemical Properties of Viscose Rayon:

1. Effect of acid: Acids attack viscose rayon more quickly than they do cotton. Here temperature is a
factor. Cold solutions of acids and short time of treatment do not usually weaken the fiber. But
viscose rayon is attacked by hot dilute or cold concentrated mineral acids which weaken and
disintegrate the fiber.
2. Effect of bleaching: viscose rayon can withstand both oxidizing and reducing bleaches but
attacked by strong oxidizing bleaches. Sodium hypochlorite is the most satisfactory bleach for
viscose rayon.
3. Effect of solvent: Good resistance to organic solvents.
4. Biological resistance: Microorganisms like moulds, mildew, bacteria etc. discolor and weaken
viscose rayon.
5. Resistance to light: Prolonged exposure to sunlight weakens viscose.
Lyocell
• Lyocell is indeed a plant-based fiber, but it's also processed
with advanced synthetic substances.
• It's neither all natural nor all synthetic-that makes it a semi-
synthetic fiber.
• Lyocell material is indeed naturally biodegradable and
compostable.
• Lyocell is both eco-friendly and ethically-sourced too: its main
component is wood cellulose and this can only be obtained
from well-managed forests, making it a fantastic source of
renewable fiber.
Physical properties of Lyocell
• Tenacity: The tensile strength of lyocell is high in wet and dry conditions
• Elongation and elastic recovery: Low elongation at the break is often viewed in lyocell fiber but
they are quite elastic.
• The fibers are resistant to wrinkling and bending.
• The lyocell fiber has good moisture absorbency and breathability.
• Lustrous and bulky along with soft hand are aesthetic properties of lyocell fiber.
• The fibers also exhibit good drape, thermal resistance and anti-bacterial.
• Lyocell fibers, however, pose a certain problem when dyed because of less surface energy and
fibrillation (splitting of a single fiber into microfibers). However, this drawback can be overcome
by the application of chemical finishes and pre-treatment.
Properties of Lyocell
• Despite being so strong and resistant, this fiber is simultaneously soft to the touch and light.
• It has excellent temperature regulation properties, as well as moisture absorption qualities.
• Its breathability, on the other hand, creates an antibacterial effect that results in a perfect fabric
for people with skin sensitivity or prompt to irritation.
• Because of its lightness, Lyocell does not wrinkle so easily.
• Lyocell is more expensive than other fabrics on the market.
Modal
• Modal is a semi-synthetic fibre that has found fame in the age of
activewear.
• Breathable and absorbent, this cotton alternative is used to
manufacture underwear, pyjamas, bathrobes, bed sheets, and
more.
• Modal is the generic name for a semi-synthetic upgrade to
viscose. Essentially modal goes through an additional process
that makes it somewhat stronger than traditional rayon.
• Some modal is still made in Japan, where it was
originally developed in 1951, but the vast majority is now
produced in China.
Properties of Modal
• High breaking strength
• Fabric made from modal fibres are shrinkage resistance
• Modal fabrics may be fading at one stage but flat to stretching and pilling
• Modal are very soft, shiny nature and silky feel than mercerized cotton
• Stone deposits from firm water never set down on the fabric surface
• Modal fabrics should be washed at slighter temperatures only
• Modal fabrics can be often ironed after washing, like cotton
• Modal fibres are dimensionally constant and do not reduce in their size, or get away from their
shape
Acetate
• Cellulose acetate is prepared by heating cellulose with
acetyl anhydride, glacial acetic acid and sulphuric acid at
low temperature.
• It is a continuous filament and can be made in desired
diameter staple, length and crimp.
• Luxurious appearance, Crisp or soft hand
• Wide range of colors; dyes and prints well
• Excellent drapeability and softness
• Shrink, moth, and mildew resistant
• Low moisture absorbency, relatively fast drying
• No pilling problem, little static problem
• Most acetate garments require dry-cleaning
Properties of Acetate fibre
• Appearance and Color: The luster and color may be as desired. Bright luster may be received by
lesser twist. Staple are not as lustrous as filaments. Various shades from paler tints to heavy may
be acquired as they are the whitest fibres.
• Absorption: absorption is much less.
• Tenacity: The wet strength is 65% of dry strength. The fibres can be changed in tenacity by the
manufacturers.
• Elasticity: Under general situations, elastic recovery of fibre is completed within few seconds. But
for longer time and heavier load creep, deterioration or clearage occurs.
• Thermal properties: It is a thermoplastic material. With temperature it becomes soft. It can be
ironed at the temperature up to 2500 F. Above this sticking and melting occurs.
• Conductivity: It is a perfect insulator. The static electricity is created by friction.
Chemical properties of Acetate fibre
• Effect of alkalis: It is stable to water even at boil and can withstand soap solutions and alkalis at
normal temperature.
• Effect of acids: It is unaffected by thin solution but is attacked by strong acids. The degradation of
molecules occurs and the chain breaks.
• Effect of oxidizing agents: Mild oxidizing agents may be utilized i.e. chlorine is old and mild
peroxide.
• Effect of organisms: It is resistant to attack by bacteria and mildew but it is attacked by moth
which makes holes in fabric.