LEC-6 PROPERTIES OF TEXTILE FIBER

Properties of Textile Fibers:

Textile fibers are perhaps most obviously characterized by their fineness; they are long and very thin. There are numerous fibrous structures in nature, but only those that can be converted into yarns are suitable for constructing textile fabrics.

Textile fibers are used for a wide range of applications, but in order for them to be useful, they must possess adequate properties in various categories. Typical categories that have to be considered in deciding if a fiber is suitable for a particular end use. Before learning about properties of fiber, you should know about what is textile fiber? We can define fiber as; any substance, natural or manufactured, with a high length to width ratio and with suitable characteristics for being processed into fabric; the smallest component, hair like in nature that can be separated from a fabric. I have also published a complete post on textile fiber.

Textile materials are capable of being transformed into desired shapes without resistance and durable over a reasonable period of wear. They derive these properties from fibers and yarns. The yarn, in turn, is formed by twisting a bundle of fibers together. It is therefore clear that the properties of the ultimate textile structure will depend very largely on the characteristics of the fibers from which they are made. These dimensional characteristics of fibers form the basis of their use as textile raw materials.

Classification of Fiber Properties:

To be designated as a textile fiber any material should satisfy two important properties, namely:

Essential or Primary properties of textile fibers

Desirable or Secondary properties of textile fibers

A. Essential or Primary properties of textile fibers:

High length to width ratio

Tenacity

Flexibility

Spinning quality (Cohesiveness)

Uniformity

B. Desirable or Secondary properties of textile fibers:

Physical shape

Elastic recovery and elongation

Resiliency

Flammability and other thermal reactions

Density

Luster

Color

Moisture regain