New Method to Measure Cotton Fiber-to-Fiber Friction

Cotton fiber friction plays a crucial role in regulating fiber flow during spinning and can influence yarn quality. In this study, a new method for measuring cotton fiber-to-fiber friction has been proposed, which adheres to the principle of an ASTM method but includes modifications in sample preparation and testing procedures to meet industry demands. A comparison with the ASTM method shows the new method effectively differentiates cotton samples. Moreover, the proposed sample preparation allows testing with smaller sample quantities. A 10-day stability test confirmed the stability of the new method. Testing 312 cotton samples revealed practically no correlation between fiber-to-fiber friction and other fiber quality parameters, suggesting fiber-to-fiber friction is a distinct property of cotton fibers. Preparing card or draw slivers for such a large sample size would be impractical due to the substantial time, effort, and cost involved, further highlighting the effectiveness and practicality of the new method. Cotton wax acts as a lubricant and may impact fiber-to-fiber friction. To evaluate this impact, white, green, and brown cotton fibers were subjected to heat and xylene treatments. The new method is used to measure fiber-to-fiber friction for control and treated samples. Heat treatment showed no consistent trend in friction values for all three cotton types. However, xylene treatment generally increased friction values across all cotton types. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) were used to evaluate changes in the surface chemistry due to xylene treatment. The FTIR analysis showed a reduction in noncellulosic materials, principally wax, in xylene-treated samples. Furthermore, the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of FTIR data revealed a clear distinction between control and xylene-treated samples, supporting the reduction of noncellulosic materials. TGA analysis demonstrated variations in weight loss percentages across cotton samples. Overall, wax reduction resulted in higher friction values of xylene-treated samples, and the new method effectively measured this, which further highlights the effectiveness of the new method.