Fundamentals of Textile

Engineering
ChE – 436
Lecture- 1
Course Objectives
 Rationale
 Understanding the textile fibers is very important now a days. The various
kinds of fibers, their origin, properties, processing them to textile fabrics and
clothes as a final product are the key features of this course.
 Objectives
 One would gain the ability to differenciate the types of fibers.
 Know about the factors affecting the durability, serviceability for specific
purpose.
 Complete knowledge of textiles which facilitate an intelligent appraisal of
standards and brands of merchandise.
 Able to distinguish the quality in fabrics and uses of them.
Course Outline
 Study of textile fibers: classification, production, structure and properties of
the main textile fibers-natural and man-made.
 Short overview of spinning, weaving and knitting technologies. Yarn
numbering systems. Basic characteristics of yarns, woven and knitted
fabrics. Pre-treatment processes of textile materials.
 Classification of the dyestuff and its relation with the textile fibers. Study of
the main properties of fasteness and its relation with dyestuff and used
fibers. Study of the direct, vat, reactive, sulphureous, dispersed, acid and
cationic dyestuff.
 Study of the dyeing processes of celullosic, polyester, polyamide, acrylic,
wool fibers and the mixtures of polyester with celollusic.
Reference Book

 Textile Chemistry – Peters, R.H.

 The word textile is derived from the Latin term “texture” for woven fabrics.
Thus by textiles we understand those objects which have been prepared by
weaving.
 Fibers

 Fiber can be described as any substance natural or manufactured that is suitable for being
processed into a fabric. It is the smallest visible unit of textile product. It is the fundamental units or
the building blocks used in the making of textile yarns and fabrics.

 Fibers are heir-like units of matter having length at least 100 times their diameter or width. Fibers
are suitable for textile use possess adequate length, fineness, strength, and flexibility for yarn
formation and fabric construction and for withstanding the intended use of the completed fabric.
 Other properties affecting textile fiber performance include elasticity, crimp (waviness), moisture
absorption, reaction to heat and sunlight, reaction to the various chemicals applied during
processing and in the dry cleaning or laundering of the completed fabric, and resistance to
insects and microorganisms. The wide variation of such properties among textile fibres determines
their suitability for various uses.
 To create a fabric, fibers are spun into yarns and then woven into fabric.
 Yarn
 YARN is a strand composed of fibers, filaments (individual fibers of extreme length), or other
materials, either natural or man-made, suitable for use in the construction of interlaced
fabrics, such as woven or knitted types.
 The strand may consist of a number of fibers twisted together; a number of filaments
grouped together but not twisted; a number of filaments twisted together. They are
produced by twisting or spinning of the textile fibers and in turn fabric is a structure
produced by interlacing or interloping of the yarns
 The properties of the yarn employed greatly influence the appearance, texture, and
performance of the completed fabric.
Fibers to Fabrics
Classification of Fibers
Vegetable Fibers
 fiber occurring on the seed (raw cotton , java cotton)
 phloem fiber (flax, ramie , hemp, jute)
 tendon fiber from stem or leaves (manila hemp, sisal hemp etc)
 fiber occurring around the trunk (hemp palm)
 fiber of fruit/ nut shells (coconut fiber – Coir) cotton and linen are the most important
among them.
 Cotton
Cotton is a soft fibre that grows around the seeds or boll of the cotton plant . Each fibre
is a single elongated cell that is flat, twisted and ribbon like with a wide inner hollow
(lumen). It is composed of 90% cellulose and 6% moisture and the remainings are
impurities. It is basically used to make fabrics that are used for all types of apparel,
home furnishing and industrial application.
 Bast Fiber
Bast fiber or skin fibre is fibre collected from the Phloem (the bast surrounding the stem
of a certain plant).
Linen
 Obtained from the stalk of the flax plant, heirlike fibers, hold together by a gummy
substance called pectin.
 They are composed of 70% cellulose and 30% pectin, ash, woody tissue and moisture.
 Relatively smooth, straight, more brittle and less flexible than cotton.
 But it is difficult to prepare an spin into yarns and used for apparel, home finishing and
upholstery.
Animal fibers
The fibres which are obtained from animals are called animal fibres. Wool and silk are
common examples of animal fibres. They are made up of protein molecules. The basic
elements in the protein molecules are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen.
Wool
 Wool is the fiber derived from the fur of animals. It has the highest moisture regain i.e.,
14%. It is composed of protein known as Keratin.
 It is relatively coarse, crimpy and has scales on its surfaces.
 Finer, warmer fibers have more numerous and smother scales. Thicker, coarser, less-
warm fibers have fewer and rougher scales.
 It exhibits felting property and because of it only pressure, heat, and moistures are
required make wool fibers into fabric and easy to spin.
Silk
 Silk is a natural fiber that can be woven into textiles.
 It is obtained from the cocoon of the silkworm larva, in the process known as sericulture.
 It is relatively lustrous, smooth, lightweight, strong and elastic.
 Highly dispersed fiber used for apparel, home finishing and upholstery.
Mineral Fibers
 They are the inorganic materials shaped into fibres and are obtained from
varieties of rock as the fibrous form of silicate of magnesium and calcium
containing iron, aluminium and other mineral.
 Mainly used in the fireproof fabrics. Asbestos is the example of mineral fibre.
 Mineral fibres are fire proof, resistant to acids and are used for industrial
purposes. But it has been found to be carcinogenous and use is restricted.
 Man made Fibres
Fibres that are not naturally present in nature and are made artificially by man. Man
made fibres have high strength, strong when wet low moisture absorption
characteristics. Examples of man made fibres are viscose rayon, acetate rayon, nylon,
polyester etc.
Cellulosic Fibres
 Cellulose is one of many polymers found in nature. The three types of manmaid
cellulosic fibers are – Rayon, Acetate and Triacetate.
 Pure cellulose appears as a formless white substance that is converted by chemical
treatment and produced into fiber form.
Noncllulosic Polymer Fibers
 These are synthesized or created from various elements into large molecules which
are called linear polymers as they are connected in linklike fashion.
 The molecules of each particular compound are arranged in parallel lines or rows in
the fiber, similar to the way fiber arranged in yarn. Its called molecular orientation.
 Examples are- nylon, aramid, polyester, acrylic, polycarbonate etc.
Protein Fibers
Protein from corn and milk processed chemically and converted into fiber. But it is not
commercially successful at all.
Rubber Fibers
 It is a manufactured fiber in which fiber forming substance is comprised of natural or
synthetic rubber.
 The treated rubber is produced in strands, so that, the cross section is either round or
square and the longitudinal surface is relatively smooth.
 Used to make elastic fabrics.
Metallic Fiber
 It is manufactured fiber composed of metal, plastic coated metal, metal- coated plastic,
or core completely covered by metal.
 Flat, narrow, smooth strips with a gleaming luster.
 Used as a decorative yarn for apparel and home furnishing.
 Mineral Fiber
Glass
Natural mineral such as silica, sand, limestone, soda ash, borax, boric acid, feldspar have been fused
under very high temperature unto glass then to fiber. It is inert and highly flame resistant. Used as
home furnishing as curtains.
Ceramics
They are multifilament, highly heat resistant are suitable for aerospace applications.
Graphite
Derived from a precursor usually rayon, polyacrylonitrile or pitch subjected to high heat under
carefully controlled conditions. Produced for highly specialized purposes as reinforcement in airplane
and rocket structure.