Introduction to Textile Fibres

Fibre
In a broad sense the word fibre is used for various types of matter – natural or
manmade, forming basic elements of textile fabrics and other textile structures.

It is defined as one of the delicates, hair-like portion of the tissues of a plant or animal.

Fibre is defined by Fabric Link Textile Dictionary as The basic entity, either natural or
manufactured, which is twisted into yarns, and then used in the production of a fabric.

The physical interpretation of the word fibre is a unit of matter characterized by having
a length of at least hundred times its diameter.
 Textile Fibre
Technologists have defined the term Textile fibres as those fibres which can be spun
into a yarn or made into a fabric by interlacing, or inter-looping in a variety of
machines including weaving, knitting, braiding, felting, bonding, etc.
Staple
Staple is the name given to the fibres of limited length. To make a continuous length of
yarn, staple fibres have to be twisted together. Staple fibres can range from about 1 cm
to many centimeters in length. But in no case they ever become long enough to be
classified as filament. So the two terms are quite distinct except for the fact that
manmade filaments can be converted into staple fibres by deliberately cutting them into
short lengths. This is a very common way of processing manmade fibres, but the
reverse process is never carried out.
 Filament
Filament is the name given to a fibre of continuous length, that is to say, it is long
enough to be used in a fabric without increasing its length by adding other fibres to it.
An example of natural filament fibre is silk; the cocoon of a silkworm can contain about
360–1200 m (depending on the quality and type of cocoon) of continuous twin
filaments.
Manmade filaments produced by spinning machines can be many kilometers long.
There may be one or many filaments in the yarn (see below) and accordingly they are
called monofilament or multifilament. The basic difference between a fibre and a fi
lament is that of the length.
 Characteristics of a good textile fibre
To be designated as a textile fibre any material should satisfy two important
characteristics, namely, the essential or the primary properties and the desirable
or the secondary properties.

Essential properties Desirable properties

(i) Length (i) Fineness

(ii) Strength and related properties (ii) Resiliency
(iii) Flexibility (iii) Uniformity
(iv) Cohesiveness (iv) Porosity
(v) Lustre
(vi) Durability
(vii) Commercial availability
 Essential properties of textile fibre
Length: Length is an important parameter which determines the usefulness of a textile fibre
from the point of view of spinning. The length of the fibre should not be less than 5 mm. It is of
course very easy to understand that when a continuous yarn is to be made out of individual
fibres, it should possess a considerable length with reference to its diameter, otherwise it would
not be possible to make a yarn that would hold together the constituent fibres. This is referred
to as the length to breadth ratio. The most useful fibres should have length to breadth ratios of
more than 100:1. Almost all textile fibres have length to breadth ratio of more than 1000:1.
Typical ratios for several natural fibres are as follows:
• Cotton = 1400,
• Wool = 3000,
• Flax = 1209,
• Ramie = 3000,
• Silk = 33 × 106
 Essential properties of textile fibre…..

Strength: Strength of any material is derived from the load it supports at break
and is thus a measure of its limiting load bearing capacity. Normally strength of a
textile fibre is measured in tension when the fibre is loaded along its long axis and
is designated as tensile strength. Tensile strength of textile fibre is measured as
the maximum tensile stress in force per unit cross-sectional area or per unit linear
density, at the time of rupture called ‘tenacity’, expressed in terms of grams per
denier or grams per tex units. In Standard International Unit (SI Unit) tenacity is
expressed as millinewtons per tex (mN/tex).
 Essential properties of textile fibre…..
Cohesiveness: It is the property of an individual fibre by virtue of which the fibres hold
on to one another when the fibres are spun into yarn. This action is usually brought
about by the high degree of frictional resistance offered by the surface of the fibres to
separate one from the other. The wool fibres, for example, have saw-toothed surface, so
that the projecting edges on its surface, called scales, easily catch on to one another
when several such fibres are twisted together during spinning. On account of this, fibres
offer resistance when an attempt is made to pull them apart. Cotton fibres also possess
irregular or rough surface. Further, due to the natural twist in the cotton fibre known as
convolution, the fibres interlock themselves by friction when they are spun into yarns.
The introduction of crimp in synthetic fibre increases cohesion.
 Essential properties of textile fibre…..

Flexibility: The fibre should be sufficiently pliable; then only it can wrap around
another fibre during spinning. If, on the other hand, fibre is stiffer and wirier, then
it is less adaptable for textile use, for example, glass and metallic fibres.
 Desirable properties of textile fibre
Fineness: Fineness of a fibre is a relative measure of its size, diameter, linear
density or weight per unit length expressed in a variety of units. Natural fibres
vary in fineness more widely than manmade fibres, because in case of manmade
fibres the diameter and densities can be controlled very accurately during their
manufacture. For example, the variation in the diameter of nylon is only 5–6%,
while for natural fibres like wool and silk, it is from 17 to 30%.
Fineness of cotton fibre is expressed in micrograms per inch or per centimeter.
For wool fibre, fineness is given in micrometer and for manmade fibres the
fineness is give in denier or tex.
• 1 µg = 10−6 g;
• 1 µm = 10−4 cm = 0.0001 cm. 1 µm = one millionth of a meter or one
thousandth of 1 mm, i.e. 0.001 mm;
• 1 Denier = weight in grams of 9000 m;
• 1 Tex = weight in grams of 1000 m.
 Desirable properties of textile fibre…
Resilience: The resistance to compression, flexing or torsion varies from fibre to
fibre. Some fibres have a natural tendency to return to their original condition
when any of the above mentioned forces is applied, an important property where,
for instance, recovery from creasing is required. Wool is outstanding in this
respect by virtue of its natural characteristics, but cellulosic fibres may be
modified in such a manner so as to greatly improve these properties. It is believed
that the resilience of a fibre is more a function of molecular cohesion. This
springiness of a fibre or its mass resilience is highly desirable in carpet wool. It is
by reason of this quality that wool fabrics hold their shape, drape gracefully and
do not wrinkle.
 Desirable properties of textile fibre…
Uniformity: Textile fibres should possess uniformity in their thickness and length.
Unfortunately none of the principal natural fibres like cotton or wool has the
same length and diameter of the fibre in the same lot. Fibres in any specified
qualities, grades or lots vary considerably in length and diameter. On the other
hand, manmade staple fibres are more uniform as they are cut to the exact length
after being spun and drawn, and even the diameter can be controlled within close
tolerance limits during its manufacture.
 Desirable properties of textile fibre…
Porosity: Porosity can be defined as the ratio of the volume of air contained within the
boundaries of the material to the total volume of a solid plus air or void, expressed as
percentage.

Porosity facilitates the absorption of moisture, liquid lubricants, dyes, oils and steam by
the fibres so as to thoroughly saturate the fibre. Porosity in a fibre is important in wet
processing.

The natural and manmade fibres differ greatly in respect of porosity which in turn
affects other properties of fibres and consequently the processing of fibres during textile
manufacture. In general, natural fibres have higher porosity than synthetic fibres.
 Desirable properties of textile fibre…
Lustre: Natural lustre enhances the value of textile fi bre especially of natural fibres. For
example, the natural lustre of the silk gave it for a long time distinct advantage over the other
textile fibres, and experiments were constantly made to improve the lustre of those fibres which
were naturally dull. Mercerized cotton, for instance, is a preferred cotton which has not
undergone this treatment, owing to the richer appearance of the finished cloth. Since the
introduction of viscose, however, with its extremely high and almost metallic lustre, consumer
taste has gone a little in the opposite direction, and many fabrics produced today are purposely
delustred in order to give the desired matt finish.
Therefore, it is evident that lustre, under certain conditions and for certain purposes, may
enhance the value of a fi bre. On the other hand, too much of brightness may be a source of
aversion to the user and hence it has to be delustred by delustring process down to a required
degree of lustre.
 Desirable properties of textile fibre…
Durability: A textile fibre should withstand processing treatments and should not be
easily susceptible to physical, chemical and bacteriological attack, which may result in
damage and decomposition.

The durability of clothing to average wear and tear depends somewhat more on the
elasticity, flexibility and resistance of the fibre and fabric, rather than the absolute
strength of either fibre or fabric. If a fabric possesses these three properties, its garment
will absorb or counter more readily stresses and strains during wear. It will allow itself
to be deformed with less resistance, thus reducing the chance of intermediate tearing or
twisting. For these reasons wool garments owe much of their durability to the elasticity,
resilience and flexibility of the fibre and fabric, even though wool is a weak fibre.
 Desirable properties of textile fibre…
Commercial availability: All the essential and desirable properties of a fibre put
together will be of much use only if the fibre is available in large quantities at fair
price, when it is needed. The accurate estimate of the different type of fibres
available for the consumption and the source of availability makes the supply of
commercial fibres to establish itself with reasonable assurance of exactness.
 Desired properties textile fibres for apparel and domestic application

1. Tenacity: 3–7 grams per denier (gpd)

2. Elongation @ break: 10–35%
3. Recovery from elongation : 100% at strain up to 5%
4. Modulus of elasticity : 30–60 gpd
5. Moisture absorbency: 2–5%
6. Zero strength temperature: Excessive creep and softening point >215 °C
7. High abrasion resistance
8. Dyeable
9. Low flammability
10. Insoluble (low swelling) in water, in moderately strong acids and bases and
conventional organic solvents from room temperature to 100 °C
11. Easy care
 Desired properties textile fibres for industrial applications
1. Tenacity: 7–8 gpd
2. Elongation break: 8–15%
3. Modulus of elasticity: 80 gpd or more, wet: 50 gpd
4. Zero strength temperature: Excessive creep and softening point >250 °C
Classification of textile fibres
Classification of vegetable origin cellulosic fibres
Classification of animal fibres
Classification of keratin type fibres
Classification of non-keratin type fibres
Classification of asbestos fibres
Classification of regenerated fibres
Classification of synthetic fibres
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