Basic Textile Fiber Properties

There are several primary properties necessary for a polymeric material to make an adequate fiber.Certain other fiber properties increase its value and desirability in its intended end-use but are not necessary properties essential to make a fiber. Such secondary properties include moisture absorption characteristics, fiber resiliency, abrasion resistance, density, luster, chemical resistance, thermal characteristics, and flammability.
Some Primary Properties of Textile Fibers are:

• Fiber length to width ratio,
• Fiber uniformity,
• Fiber strength and flexibility,
• Fiber extensibility and elasticity, and
• Fiber cohesiveness.

How heat affects Textile Fiber's properties

Examples of Fiber Shapes

Heat helps the fiber /fabric to gain certain special qualities at certain times and are also harmful at other times.But under special guidance,heat helps fiber acquire the following characteristics

• Softening, melting, or decomposition temperatures
• Tendency of the fiber and fabric to shrink when heat-relaxed, or stretch when heated and under tension
• Ability of the fabric to heat set
• Ability of the fabric to function properly at elevated temperatures in one time or repeated use
• Ability of the fabric to function properly at room temperature (or some other lower temperature) after exposure at high temperature for a given period of time

Thermal Properties of Common Fibers

Fiber	Melting Point		Softening Sticking Point		Safe Ironing Temperature
	°F	°C	°F	°C	°F	°C
Natural Fibers
Cotton	Nonmelting				425	218
Flax	Nonmelting				450	232
Silk	Nonmelting				300	149
Wool	Nonmelting				300	149
Manmade Fibers
Acetate	446	230	364	184	350	177
Arnel Triacetage	575	302	482	250	464	240
Acrylic			400-490	204-254	300-350	149-176
Aramid	Does not melt, carbonizes above 800F
Glass			1400-3033
Modacrylic	410	210	300	149	200-250	93-121
Novoloid	Nonmelting
Nylon6	414	212	340	171	300	149
Nylon66	482	250	445	229	350	177
Olefin	275	135	260	127	150	66
Polyester PET	480	249	460	238	325	163
Polyester PCDT	550	311	490	254	350	177
Rayon	Nonmelting				375	191
Saran	350	177	300	149	Do not iron
Spandex	446	230	347	175	300	149
Vinyon	285	140	200	93	Do not iron

Density and Moisture Regain of Fibers

Fiber	Density (g/cc)	Moisture Regain
Density: Ratio of weight of a given volume of fiber to an equal volume of water.
Natural Fibers
Cotton	1.52	7-11
Flax	1.52	12
Silk	1.25	11
Wool	1.32	13-18
Man-made Fibers
Acetate	1.32	6.0
Arnel Triacrylic	-	3.2
Acrylic	1.17-1.18	1.3-2.5
Aramid	1.38-1.44	4.5
Flurocarbon	2.20	0
Glass	2.49-2.73	0-0.3
Modacrylic	1.30-1.37	0.4-4.0
Nylon	1.14	4.0-4.5
Nylon Qiana	1.03	2.5
Olefin	0.91	0.01-0.1
Polyester	1.22/1.38	0.4-0.8
Rayon	1.50-1.52	15
Rayon HWM	-	11.5-13
Spandex	1.20-1.22	0.75-1.3