Fibers and Their Properties
This handy reference covers the history, properties, classification, types, and applications of fibers.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Fibers and Their Properties
Classification of Fibers
Fibers are broadly classified into natural fibers and man-made fibers, as shown in Figure 1-1:
Figure 1-1: Classification of Fibers
Natural Fibers
Natural fibers are hair-like threads obtained directly from plants, animals, and mineral sources. Botanically, a natural fiber is a collection of cells having long length and negligible diameter. They are obtained as continuous filaments or discrete elongated pieces similar to thread. They can be spun or twisted into yarn such as cloth and can be converted into nonwoven fabrics, such as paper or felt. An example of a commonly used natural fiber is cotton. Other examples include wool, jute, silk, hair, fur, hemp, and linen.
The characteristics of natural fibers are:
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They can be spun or twisted into yarn to make cloth.
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They can be converted into nonwoven fabrics.
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They are strong and durable.
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They have high moisture absorbing capacity.
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They provide excellent look and feel.
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They are comfortable.
Natural fibers can be classified according to their origin into the following categories:
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Plant fibers
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Animal fibers
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Mineral fibers
Plant Fibers
Plant fibers are fibers that contain cellulose and can be extracted from the bast or stem, seed hair, leaf, or husk of a plant.
Plant fibers may be further categorized into:
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Bast fibers: Extracted from the bast or skin surrounding the stem of the plants such as kenaf, roselle, and coir. Due to their high tensile strength compared to other fibers, bast fibers are used for yarn and fabric production. They are durable when used...
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