Fibre Fineness

FIBRE FINENESS
Fibre fineness:
 Fibre fineness is another important quality characteristic which

plays a prominent part in determining the spinning value of
cottons.
 If the same count of yarn is spun from two varieties of cotton, the
yarn spun from the variety having finer fibres will have a larger
number of fibres in its cross section and hence it will be more even
and strong than that spun from the sample with coarser fibres.
 Fineness denotes the size of the cross-section dimensions of the
fibre.
 As the cross-sectional features of cotton fibres are irregular, direct
determination of the area of cross-section is difficult and laborious.
 The Index of fineness which is more commonly used is the linear
density or weight per unit length of the fibre.
 The unit in which this quantity is expressed varies in different
parts of the world.
 The common unit used by many countries for cotton is micro
grams per inch and the various air-flow instruments developed for
measuring fibre fineness are calibrated in this unit.
Following are some methods of determining fibre fineness
 Gravimetric or dimensional measurements.

 Air-flow method.
 Vibrating string method.
 Some of the above methods are applicable to single fibres while
the majority of them deal with a mass of fibres.
 As there is considerable variation in the linear density from fibre
to fibre, even amongst fibres of the same seed, single fibre
methods are time-consuming and laborious as a large number of
fibres have to be tested to get a fairly reliable average value.
It should be pointed out here that most of the fineness determinations are
likely to be affected by fibre maturity, which is another important
characteristic of cotton fibres.
Influences:
Fibre fineness influences primarily:
 Spinning limit
 Yarn strength
 Yarn evenness
 Yarn fullness
 Drape of the fabric product
 Lustre
 Handle
 Productivity of the process.
Important:
 Fineness is one of the three most important fibre characteristics.

 The fineness determines how many fibres are present in the cross-
section of a yarn of given thickness. Additional fibres in the cross-
section provide not only additional strength, but also a better
distribution in the yarn.
 Thirty fibres are needed at the minimum in the yarn cross-section,
but there are usually over 100.
 It has been known since long that fibre fineness plays an important
role in determining the quality of resultant yarn and hence that of
the resultant fabrics.
 In general fiber fineness is important due to the following factors:
1. It affects Stiffness of the Fabric
 As the fiber fineness increases, resistance to bending decreases.

 It means the fabric made from yarn of finer fiber is less stiff in feel.
 It also drapes better.
2. It affects Torsional Rigidity of the Yarn
 Torsional rigidity means ability to twist.

 As fiber fineness increases, torsional rigidity of the yarn reduces proportionally.
 Thus fibers can be twisted easily during spinning operation.
 Also there will be less snarling and kink formation in the yarn when the fine
fibers are used.
3. Reflection of Light
 Finer fibers also determine the luster of the fabric.

 Because there are so many number of fibers per unit area that they produce a soft
sheen.
 This is different from hard glitter produced by the coarser fibers.
 Also the apparent depth of the shade will be lighter in case of fabrics made with
finer fibers than in case of coarser fibers.
4. Absorption of Dyes
 The amount of dye absorbed depends upon the amount of surface area accessible
for dye out of a given volume of fibers. Thus a finer fiber leads to quicker
exhaustion of dyes than coarser fibres.
5. Ease in Spinning Process
 A finer fiber leads to more fibre cohesion because the numbers of surfaces are
more so cohesion due to friction is higher.
 Also finer fibers lead to less amount of twist because of the same increased force
of friction.
 This means yarns can be spun finer with the same amount of twist as compared to
coarser fibers,
6. Uniformity of Yarn and Hence Uniformity in the Fabric
 Uniformity of yarn is directly proportional to the number of fibres in the yarn

cross section.
 Hence finer the fiber, the more uniform is the yarn. When the yarn is uniform it
leads to other desirable properties such as better tensile strength, extensibility and
luster.
 It also leads to fewer breakages in spinning and weaving.
Fiber Fineness is Measured by the Airflow Method
Principle:
In this method, fiber fineness is measured by air flow. If large amount of air is blown,
the fiber will be coarse and if small amount of air is blown, the fiber will be fine. The
method based on this principle.
This is an indirect method of measuring fibre fineness which is based on the fact that the
airflow at a given pressure difference through a uniformly distributed mass of fibres is
determined by the total surface area of the fibres .
(a)
(b) Fig: Fiber Fineness is Measured by the Airflow Method

The surface area of a fibre (length X circumference) is proportional to its diameter but
for a given weight of sample the number of fibres increases with the fibre fineness so
that the specific surface area (area per unit weight) is inversely proportional to fibre
diameter; Fig. shows this diagrammatically. Because the airflow varies with pressure
difference it is the ratio of airflow to differential pressure that is determined by the fibre
diameter. Therefore the method can be used to measure either the airflow at constant
pressure or the pressure drop at constant airflow.
The measurement of airflow at constant pressure is the more usual form of apparatus
with wool. For fibres of approximately circular cross-section and constant overall
density such as unmedullated wool, the estimate of fineness corresponds to the average
fibre diameter as determined by the projection microscope with a good degree of
accuracy.
FIBRE MATURITY
Definition of Fiber Maturity
Fibre maturity (in case of Cotton Fiber) is a fibre characteristic which expresses the
relative degree of thickening of the fibre wall. In other words, it is the measure of
primary and secondary wall thickness.
The fibre maturity is usually estimated by several indirect tests which are foten used to
find out the proportion of fibres containing a maturity greater than some selected level.
A fiber will be matured if a high degree of wall thickening took place into the fiber
content during cotton growth.
Things upon Which the Textile Fiber Maturity Depends:
There are several factors upon which the fibre maturity is basically depends. By
changing theses factors you can also measure that which factors is working behind to be
a fibre matured or whichnot.The factors are –
1. Weather: If the weather doesn’t favor, the fiber gets less chance to be matured.
2. Types of Soil: It is proved that, in some country the fibers grows well and becomes
well matured and on some other country; due to the soil, fibers don’t be so much
matured and grows low quality fibres.
3. Plant Diseases: If proper care is not taken to the fibres, these become less matured
due to several diseases.
4. Pests: Some pests is good for Plants and some are bad. So be careful to apply any
pesticides on any plants.
5. Dead Fibers: It is natural that the dead fibers will be immature.
I hope you have got a basic idea about Fiber Maturity and you have also learned that
what are the factors works behind to make a fiber immature.
Is there anything I have missed to mention? Please add these in the comment box if you
know something more about Textile Fibre Immaturity.
Determination of the cotton fibre by caustic soda swelling method

Introduction: FIbre maturity of cotton is a fibre character which express the relation
degree of thicking of the fibre was another words, it is the measure of the prickness
mary and secondary thickudiral seness.
Normal fibre:matured fibres with a well developed cell wall and after swelling it appear
red like from raw state and it also show no continuous liner in longitudinal section of
matured fiber.
Dead fibre: Dead fibre are those that after swelling it has a continuous lumer and the
wall thickness is a fifth or less than robbin with.
Thin walled fibre: This walled fibre are those that are not classed as normal or dead
being of intermediate appearance and thickening.
Object:
 To know the maturaty of cotton fibre

 To control the quality of yarn for better production
 To mointain the buyer requirement
Working principle: To find out the mature or normal fibre half mature or thin fibre and
immature or dead fibre by uaing causting sata treatment.
Apparatus:
1. Slide
2. Microscope
3. combsorter
4. cotton fibre
Working procedure:
It is most commonly used method. A thin tuft of fibre is drawn by means of tweezer
from a sliver help in a comb sorter. The tuft is laid on a mleroscope and a cover slip put
over the middle of the tuft. Like wise tour or eight slides are prepaned.
There are two step involed in this method
 treatment with 18% coustic soda

 Examination under a microscope to count the mature, half mature and immature
fibre.
The fibre on the microscope slide are then saturated with small amount of 18% coustic
soda solution which is swelling them.The slide is then placed on stage of microscope
and examined.

Fibre Fineness

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FIBRE FINENESS

 Fibre fineness is another important quality characteristic which

Following are some methods of determining fibre fineness

 Gravimetric or dimensional measurements.

Fibre fineness influences primarily:

 Fineness is one of the three most important fibre characteristics.

1. It affects Stiffness of the Fabric

 As the fiber fineness increases, resistance to bending decreases.

2. It affects Torsional Rigidity of the Yarn

 Torsional rigidity means ability to twist.

 Finer fibers also determine the luster of the fabric.

5. Ease in Spinning Process

6. Uniformity of Yarn and Hence Uniformity in the Fabric

 Uniformity of yarn is directly proportional to the number of fibres in the yarn

Fiber Fineness is Measured by the Airflow Method

(b) Fig: Fiber Fineness is Measured by the Airflow Method

Things upon Which the Textile Fiber Maturity Depends:

Determination of the cotton fibre by caustic soda swelling method

 To know the maturaty of cotton fibre

There are two step involed in this method

 treatment with 18% coustic soda

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