Classification of Textile Fibres

Classification of natural fibres based on their nature, origin, their ability to attract water (Moisture absorption) and their themoplasticity, as given:

Definition of fibre

The term fibre or textile fibre means a unit of matter which is capable of being spun in to a yarn or made in to a fabric of any nature or character.
Fibre are defined as the units of matter characterized by fineness, flexibility and high ratio of length to thickness. The most useful fibre should have length to breadth ratio more than 1000:1.
Typical ratios for several natural fibres are as follows:
Cotton=1400, Wool=3000, Silk=33*10⁶ .

Classification of fibre according to their origin

1)Natural fibres
2)Man-made fibres

1. Natural Fibres

The term natural fibres means any fibre that exists as such in the natural state. They are obtained from plant , animals or mineral and can be further classified in to three following groups:
a) Vegetables fibres:

fibres growing on the seed-cotton, kapok etc
fibres are grown as the skin of plants stem-Flax ,Ramie, Hemp, Jute etc
Fibres collected from leaves -sisal, abaca or marila etc.

b) Animal Fibres:

After the coagulation of the muscus thrown up by the body of silk wonk-silk fibre
Fibres are found from hairy fibre -sheep wool,cashmere wool,mohair etc.

c) Mineral fibres:The only natural fibre occure from mineral in asbestos .There are several kinds of asbestos fibres,all of which are fire resistance and not easily destroyed or degraded by natural process.They usually used as the non combustibleinsulation material.

2. Man-made Fibres or Artificial Fibres

Manmade fibres means any fibre which is derived by an artificial process from any substance. The manmade fibres classified in two groups:
a) Regenerated cellulose fibre
b) Synthetic fibre

a)Regenerated cellulose fibre:These fibres are regenerated from natural cellulose sources like wood pulp or cotton linters are referred to as regenerated cellulose fibre.

b)Synthetic fibre::The term synthetic means that the polymer is entirely man made from chemicals. These group fibre properties are dependent upon their chemical composition and kind of molecular orientation. The major fibres includes Nylon (Polyamide produced in USA IN 1938),Polyster (produced in 1953) & Acrylic (produced in 1948).

NOTE: Textile fibres composed of cellulose