Author
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Gamble, Gary |
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Submitted to: Journal of Cotton Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 6/28/2004 Publication Date: 8/1/2004 Citation: Gamble, G. R. 2004. Implications of surface chemistry on cotton fiber processing. Textile Research Journal 8:198-2004. Interpretive Summary: COTTON YARN PRODUCTION HAS INCREASED IN SPEED OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, WITH THE RESULT THAT TRADITIONAL FIBER PHYSICAL MEASUREMENTS ARE NOT AS RELIABLE AS THEY ONCE WERE AT PREDICTING THE SPINNING EFFICENCY OF YARN. THIS WORK ADDRESSES THIS SHORTCOMING BY QUANTIFYING THE SURFACE CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS OF THE COTTON FIBER, INCLUDING PECTIN, WAX, SALTS, AND SUGARS, AND RELATING THEM TO SPINNING PERFORMANCE THROUGH TWO DIFFERENT MEASUREMENTS OF INTER-FIBER FRICTION. RESULTS SHOW THAT INTER-FIBER FRICTION DECREASES AS A FUNCTION OF INCREASING PECTIN AND SOLUBLE SALT CONTENT ON THE COTTON FIBER SURFACE. THE IMPLICATIONS OF THESE OBSERVATIONS INCLUDE HAVING THE ABILITY TO OPTIMIZE FIBER PROCESSING EQUIPMENT BASED ON CHEMICAL MEASUREMENTS AND DEVELOPING COTTON VARIETIES POSSESSING DESIRABLE SPINNING CHARACTERISTICS BASED ON THE LEVEL OF SURFACE CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS PRESENT ON THE COTTON FIBER. Technical Abstract: INCREASING SPEEDS OF COTTON YARN PRODUCTION IN THE TEXTILE MILL HAVE RENDERED TRADITIONAL PHYSICAL FIBER MEASUREMENTS SUCH AS LENGTH AND STRENGTH LESS RELIABLE AS PREDICTORS OF YARN SPINNING EFFICIENCY. WITH THE GOAL OF ADDRESSING THIS PROBLEM, THIS WORK ATTEMPTS TO CHARACTERIZE THE PECTIN, WAX, GLUCOSE ADN SURFACE ELECTROLYTE COMPONENTS OF THE COTTON FIBER IN ORDER TO DEVELOP A CHEMISTRY-BASED METHODOLOGY BY WHICH CURRENTLY UNKNOWN FACTORS INVOLVED IN YARN SPINNING EFFICIENCY MAY BE ELUCIDATED. THE AMOUNT OF EACH COMPONENT IS MEASURED FOR 21 COTTON SAMPLES, AND THE RESULTS CORRELATED WITH MICRONAIRE-NORMALIZED FRICTIONAL MEASUREMENTS BASED ON DRAFT FORCE AND FIBER-FIBER FRICTION. RESULTS INDICATE THAT INTER-FIBER FRICTION DECREASES PRIMARILY AS A FUNCTION OF INCREASING PECTIN AND SOLUBLE SALT COMPONENTS ON THE COTTON FIBER SURFACE. VARIATIONS IN WAX CONTENT DO NOT APPEAR TO SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECT INTER-FIBER FRICTION, RELATIVE TO THE EFFECTS PRODUCED BY VARIATIONS IN PECTIN AND SALT CONTENTS. THESE ARE IMPORTANT OBSERVATIONS NOT ONLY FROM THE STANDPOINT OF BEING ABLE TO SET FIBER PROCESSING EQUIPMENT PARAMETERS BASED ON CHEMICAL MEASUREMENTS, BUT IT ALSO RAISES THE POSSIBILITY OF BREEDING COTTON TO PRODUCE DESIRABLE SPINNING CHARACTERISTICS BASED ON THE LEVEL OF SURFACE CHEMICAL COMPONENTS DEVELOPED DURING THE FIBER GROWTH PERIOD. |
