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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Cotton Structure and Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #294796
Title: Preliminary study of relating cotton fiber tenacity and elongation with crystallinity

Author
item Liu, Yongliang
item Thibodeaux, Devron
item Gamble, Gary
item Rodgers Iii, James

Submitted to: Textile Research Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/26/2013
Publication Date: 4/15/2014
Citation: Liu, Y., Thibodeaux, D.P., Gamble, G.R., Rodgers III, J.E. 2014. Preliminary study of relating cotton fiber tenacity and elongation with crystallinity. Textile Research Journal. 84:(17) 1829-1839. DOI: 10.1177/0040517513509871.

Interpretive Summary: Fundamental understanding of the relationship between cotton fiber strength (or tenacity) / elongation and structure is important, as cotton breeders could modify their varieties for enhancing end-use qualities. In this study, the Stelometer instrument was employed to measure bundle fiber tenacity and elongation properties, mostly because it is the traditional fiber strength reference method and could be still preferred as a screening tool thanks to its significant low cost and portable attribute. Fiber crystallinity (CIIR) and maturity (MIR) were characterized by the previously proposed ATR-FTIR protocol that has the micro-sampling capability and is suitable for tiny Stelometer breakage specimens (2~5 mg), which could not be analyzed by conventional XRD pattern readily. Relative to distinctive increase in fiber tenacity with either CIIR or MIR for Pima fibers (G. barbadense), there was an unclear trend between the two for Upland fibers (G. hirsutum). Although fiber elongation increases with elevating CIIR and MIR for Pima fibers, it generally decreases as CIIR and MIR increase for Upland fibers. Furthermore, small sets of Upland fibers with known varieties and growth areas were examined and their responses to both CIIR and MIR were discussed briefly

Technical Abstract: Fundamental understanding of the relationship between cotton fiber strength (or tenacity) / elongation and structure is important, as cotton breeders could modify their varieties for enhancing end-use qualities. In this study, the Stelometer instrument was employed to measure bundle fiber tenacity and elongation properties, mostly because it is the traditional fiber strength reference method and could be still preferred as a screening tool thanks to its significant low cost and portable attribute. Fiber crystallinity (CIIR) and maturity (MIR) were characterized by the previously proposed ATR-FTIR protocol that has the micro-sampling capability and is suitable for tiny Stelometer breakage specimens (2~5 mg), which could not be analyzed by conventional XRD pattern readily. Relative to distinctive increase in fiber tenacity with either CIIR or MIR for Pima fibers (G. barbadense), there was an unclear trend between the two for Upland fibers (G. hirsutum). Although fiber elongation increases with elevating CIIR and MIR for Pima fibers, it generally decreases as CIIR and MIR increase for Upland fibers. Furthermore, small sets of Upland fibers with known varieties and growth areas were examined and their responses to both CIIR and MIR were discussed briefly.