ARS | Publication request: ESTABLISHING BENCHMARK VALUES FOR SFC RESEARCH

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: June 1, 2004
Publication Date: January 4, 2005
Citation: Cui, X., Price, J.B., Robert Jr, K.Q., Thibodeaux, D.P., Watson, M.D. Establishing benchmark values for SFC research. CD-ROM. Memphis, TN. National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conferences. 2005.

Interpretive Summary: Cotton short fiber content (SFC) affects fiber processing efficiency and product quality. This paper reports the progress made in finding ways to improve the accuracy of SFC measurement. The Suter-Webb Array Method is a so-called "refernce" method that sorts fiber into different length groups, measures the length and weight of each group, and calculates the SFC by weight. However, is the major problem with the Suter-Webb Array Method, beside time-consuming and tedious, is its limited accuracy arising from manual measurement. In contrast, the Advanced Fiber Information System(AFIS) can measure fiber length accurately. We have fine-tuned the AFIS by a new method using accurately-cut fibers, which futher improves the AFIS measurement accuracy particularly at 0.5-inch fiber length, which actually defines the short fiber content. Efforts were made to use the SUter-Webb Array Method to separate fibers into three length groups and then measure the middle length group AFIS to avoid fiber breakage from the fiber sorter and the presence of cotton neps caused problems in the SFC measurement. Therefore, further effort is needed to reduce the fiber breakage during sample preparation and eliminate the influence of neps so that the SFC can be measured more accurately.

Technical Abstract: This presentation will report progress in establishing benchmark values for research of cotton SFC (short fiber content). This is a joint research project of USDA Southern Regional Research Center and Cotton Incorporated. Candidate cotton bales were screened by use of HVI and selected based on SFI (short fiber index) values. A series of trials was performed to reduce the sample non-uniformity without much fiber breakage using textile-processing equipment. Various testing methods of fiber length were explored for their accuracy in measuring SFC. A combination of modified methods was utilized to increase the accuracy in determining the value of short fiber content.