Comprehensive analysis of cotton fiber infrared maturity distribution and its relation to fiber HVI and AFIS properties

Authors: Liu, Yongliang; Chang, Sechin

Submitted to: Fibers and Polymers
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/28/2023
Publication Date: 1/26/2024
Citation: Liu, Y., Chang, S. 2024. Comprehensive analysis of cotton fiber infrared maturity distribution and its relation to fiber HVI and AFIS properties. Fibers and Polymers. 25:1127-1136. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12221-023-00448-6.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12221-023-00448-6

Interpretive Summary: Cotton fiber maturity has been reported as average maturity and maturity distribution in a sample, through measuring the fibers in the way of either an individual fiber cross-section or a longitude of several subsamples by cross-sectional image analysis (IA), advanced fiber information system (AFIS), and Cottonscope method. As a different approach, attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR FT-IR) spectroscopy was proposed to estimate fiber maturity (MIR) and maturity distribution at a bundle fiber level with many subsamples on the basis of three-MIR (low-, mid-, and high-) classifications. Relating fiber MIR average and MIR distribution in commercial cotton fibers to current-in-use high volume instrument (HVI) and AFIS qualities revealed several statistically significant and moderate to strong correlations. Especially, there were moderate correlations between MIR readings and one fiber length measurement (AFIS L(n)) and also between MIR readings and two short fiber measurements (AFIS SFC(w) and AFIS SFC(n)). The results could provide cotton scientists an alternative and rapid tool for monitoring the MIR average and MIR distribution in unravelling fiber quality measurements.

Technical Abstract: Cotton fiber maturity has been reported as average maturity and maturity distribution in a sample, through measuring the fibers in the way of either an individual fiber cross-section or a longitude of several subsamples by cross-sectional image analysis (IA), advanced fiber information system (AFIS), and Cottonscope method. As a different approach, attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR FT-IR) spectroscopy was proposed to estimate fiber maturity (MIR) and maturity distribution at a bundle fiber level on the basis of three-MIR (low-, mid-, and high-) classifications. This work examined the relationships between seven MIR indices and high volume instrument (HVI) and AFIS qualities in commercial cotton fibers. There were statistically significant and moderate to strong correlations between the MIR indices and fiber maturity and fineness measurements, and also moderate correlations between the MIR indices and other fiber qualities (for example, HVI strength). In particular, there were moderate correlations between MIR readings and one of five fiber length measurements as AFIS L(n) as well as between MIR readings and two of three short fiber content (SFC) measurements as AFIS SFC(w) and AFIS SFC(n). Meanwhile, MIR differential (D3) was observed to be correlated with HVI strength significantly and strongly. The result indicated the capability of ATR FT-IR spectroscopy for monitoring fiber maturity distribution in commercial cotton fibers and further in understanding fiber quality measurement.