Physical propertie of textile fibers



        i.            Length: it depends upon the types of fibers. It is fine in case of man-made fiber but varies largely in case of natural fibers. The length are measured in three ways – average length, effective length and staple length. Staple length (<2”), medium length (2-4”) and long length (>4”). Length affected some fiber properties such as – strength, processing, appearance etc.
      ii.            Strength: the capability of a fiber to support a load is known as its strength. In case of a fiber, the strength is described as tenacity.
Tenacity=strength/linear density.
It is expressed in terms of CN/Tex or N/Tex

    iii.            Flexibility:flexibility is that property to resist repeated bending and folding.
    iv.            Cohesiveness: it is the ability of the fiber to cling together during spinning depends on crimp and twist.
      v.            Fineness: the term fineness describes the quality of a fiber. It is expressed by the terms count, tex, denier, tex per unit length etc. Fineness affects some fiber properties such as yarn count, yarn strength yarn regularity etc.
    vi.            Cross-sectional: the cross section of a fiber determines the physical properties of the fiber. It gives idea about strength, fineness that varies from fiber to fiber. The coss-section shape of a fiber is important because it contributes to the surface appearance of luster, bulk and body of the fibers, yarn and fabrics. It has effect in twisting, bending or shunning.
  vii.            Crimp: it refers to the waves or bends that take place along the length of a fiber. It increases cohesiveness resilience resistance to abrasion and increased bulk or warmth to fabric. It also helps fabric to maintain their softness or thickness, increase absorbency and show contact comforts bid reduces lusture. A fiber may have one of the three types of crimp. Namely-mechanical crimp, natural crimp or inherent crimp and chemical crimp.
viii.            Elasticity: it is the power of recovery from deformation. The fiber may be plastic or elastic which depends upon fiber condition and surrounding environment.
    ix.            Resiliency: it is the property of fiber, which enables it to recover from a certain load or stretch over a period of time.
      x.            Toughness: the ability of a fiber to endure large permanent deformations without rupture is called toughness.
    xi.            Work of rupture: the area below the stress-strain curves provides a measure of the work required to break the fiber. It is called work of rupture and it commonly express in CN/tex.
  xii.            Appearance: it is expressed by length, fineness, cross-section, cleanness and lusture of a fabric. Generally short fibers are bulky and loss lusturous.
xiii.            Density: the density indicates the mass per unit volume. The specific gravity of a fiber indicates the density relative to that of water at 4℃.
xiv.            Elongation: it is the ability to be stretched, extended or lengthened. Elongation vary at different temperatures and when wet or dry.