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Submitted to: American Society for Testing Materials Standards
Publication Type: Book / Chapter Publication Acceptance Date: 2/8/2005 Publication Date: 7/1/2005 Citation: Foulk, J.A. 2005. Standard test method for assessing clean flax fiber fineness. American Society for Testing Materials Standards (ASTM International-D7025-04a). Book of Standards Volume 7.02, 5 pages. Interpretive Summary: FLAX HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN BOUGHT AND SOLD USING SUBJECTIVE JUDGEMENTS PERFORMED BY EXPERIENCED GRADERS. OBJECTIVES STANDARDS AND A CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM FOR JUDGING QUALITY, SUCH AS FINENESS, ARE REQUIRED FOR RAPIDLY ANALYZING THE FIBER. THIS STANDARD TEST METHOD PROVIDES TWO OBJECTIVE OPTIONS THAT COVER THE DETERMINATION OF THE FINENESS OF CLEAN LOOSE FLAX FIBERS BY: OPTION 1, MEASURING THE SPECIFIC SURFACE AREA BY THE RESISTANCE OF A PLUG OF FLAX FIBERS TO AIR FLOW UNDER PRESCRIBED CONDITIONS, OR OPTION 2, ESTIMATING THE MASS PER UNIT LENGTH. Technical Abstract: USING OPTION 1, A PREDETERMINED MASS OF CLEAN LOOSE FLAX FIBERS GENERATED BY USING A MECHANICAL BLENDER IS PLACED IN THE SPECIMEN HOLDER AND COMPRESSED TO A FIXED VOLUME. THE RESISTANCE TO AIRFLOW IS MEASURED USING A COTTON FIBER INSTRUMENT THAT PROVIDES A READING. THIS READING IS CONVERTED TO A SPECIFIC SURFACE INDEX WHICH IS DERIVED FROM THE LINEAR DENSITY OF FLAX. USING OPTION 2, THE AVERAGE LINEAR DENSITY OF SINGLE FIBERS IN A BUNDLE IS CALCULATED FROM MASS AND LENGTH MEASUREMENTS ON THE BUNDLE AND THE NUMBER OF SINGLE FIBERS IN THE BUNDLE. NOTE 1 - THERE MAY BE NO OVERALL CORRELATION BETWEEN THE RESULTS OBTAINED WITH OPTIONS 1 AND 2. CONSEQUENTLY, THESE TWO OPTIONS CANNOT BE USED INTERCHANGEABLY. IN CASE OF CONTROVERSY, OPTION 1 SHALL PREVAIL. |
