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Title: SINGLE COTTON FIBER PROPERTIES OF LOW, IDEAL AND HIGH MICRONAIRE VALUES.

Author
item Foulk, Jonn
item McAlister Iii, David

Submitted to: Textile Research Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/3/2002
Publication Date: 10/1/2002
Citation: FOULK, J.A., MCALISTER III, D.D. SINGLE COTTON FIBER PROPERTIES OF LOW, IDEAL AND HIGH MICRONAIRE VALUES. TEXTILE RESEARCH JOURNAL. 71 (10) pp. 885-891. 2002.

Interpretive Summary: Bulk testing of multiple cotton fibers with the High Volume Instrument (HVI) has led to an understanding of 75% of the cotton fiber properties in product processing. With increased processing speeds, cotton fiber classification improvements are required. In this study, cotton bales of low, ideal, and high fineness levels were harvested, ginned, and baled by commercial methods. A new single fiber testing instrument provided traditional single fiber data. This untested instrument also provided additional fiber parameters such as cotton fiber crimp. Many events impact cotton fibers, so results from this new instrument may help expedite processing in textile mills and encourage certain cotton varieties. A variety containing more crimp in the fiber may lead to a fiber with better processing abilities. It may be advantageous for cotton breeders to try and develop new convoluted varieties.

Technical Abstract: The Favimat, a single fiber-testing machine, was used to quantify affects of cotton crimp on fibers from three cotton bales. These three bales consisted of cotton containing a low, high, and ideal micronaire for textile processing. In order to get a better representation of all fibers within these bales the cotton was further divided into the Suter-Webb array ylength groups. Prior to testing, individual cotton fibers were removed from each length group and pre-tensioned with a 50 mg clip in the Favimat. An opto-electrical sensor on the Favimat captured the image of each fiber for crimp analysis prior to testing. Following cotton crimp image capturing, fiber fineness was determined by the vibroscope method. A gauge length of 10 mm and crosshead speed of 20 mm/min were used in tensile testing. Single fiber Favimat testing proved tedious but did produce comparable fineness, elongation, and tenacity results in a relatively short tperiod. Future experimentation with a Favimat robot coupled with modifications in parameter could simplify testing. The mean values for these bales indicate that those varieties containing more crimp in the fiber leads to a larger elongation, force to break, linear density, tenacity, and work to rupture. The seven length groups from these bales indicate that longer cotton fibers appear to contain more crimp per cm. A comparison of single and bundle fiber results appear to show the same trends with Favimat values generally larger than Stelometer, HVI, and Fibronaire values except for HVI tenacity. Based on a variety of testing procedures, the results suggest that the Favimat appears satisfactory for measuring current and future cotton properties.