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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Cotton Structure and Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #319653
Title: Measurement comparison of cotton fiber micronaire and its components by portable near infrared spectroscopy instruments

Author
item Rodgers Iii, James
item ZUMBA, JIMMY - Oak Ridge Institute For Science And Education (ORISE)
item Fortier, Chanel

Submitted to: Textile Research Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/22/2016
Publication Date: 12/9/2016
Citation: Rodgers III, J.E., Zumba, J., Fortier, C.A. 2016. Measurement comparison of cotton fiber micronaire and its components by portable near infrared spectroscopy instruments. Textile Research Journal. p. 1-13 doi:10.1177/0040517515622153.

Interpretive Summary: Micronaire is a key cotton fiber classing and quality assessment property, and changes in fiber micronaire can impact downstream fiber processing and dye consistency in the textile manufacturing industry. Micronaire is a function of two fiber components—fiber maturity and fineness. Historically, micronaire is measured in a laboratory under very tight environmental (temperature, relative humidity) conditions. There is an increased interest by the cotton and textile industry to measure fiber micronaire and its components both in the laboratory and in-field (non-controlled conditions), using small portable Near Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy instruments. A program was implemented to determine the feasibility of using portable NIR instruments to monitor fiber micronaire, maturity, and fineness. Prior to outside the laboratory measurements (field, warehouse, greenhouse, etc.), laboratory feasibility was performed to assess the NIR instruments’ capabilities. Calibrations were developed and comparative evaluations for fiber micronaire, maturity, and fineness were performed on three portable NIR instruments (representing three different measurement technologies). Instrumental, sampling, and operational procedures and protocols for each portable NIR instrument were established. Though representing different measurement technologies, very good spectral agreement was observed between the portable NIR instruments and a bench-top NIR unit used as a comparison. Rapid (less than 3 minutes per sample), easy to use, and accurate measurements of fiber micronaire and maturity was achieved for the portable NIR instruments, with regressions (Rs) greater than 0.85, low residuals, and a low number of outliers observed for each NIR instrument. Improvements are required for the accurate measurement of fiber fineness by portable NIR instruments. Thus, for well-defined cotton fiber samples, the universal nature of the NIR measurement of cotton fiber micronaire and maturity by portable NIR instruments was validated.

Technical Abstract: Micronaire is a key cotton fiber classing and quality assessment property, and changes in fiber micronaire can impact downstream fiber processing and dye consistency in the textile manufacturing industry. Micronaire is a function of two fiber components—fiber maturity and fineness. Historically, micronaire is measured in a laboratory under very tight environmental (temperature, relative humidity) conditions. There is an increased interest by the cotton and textile industry to measure fiber micronaire and its components both in the laboratory and in-field (non-controlled conditions), using small portable Near Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy instruments. A program was implemented to determine the feasibility of using portable NIR instruments to monitor fiber micronaire, maturity, and fineness. Prior to outside the laboratory measurements (field, warehouse, greenhouse, etc.), laboratory feasibility was performed to assess the NIR instruments’ capabilities. Calibrations were developed and comparative evaluations for fiber micronaire, maturity, and fineness were performed on three portable NIR instruments (representing three different measurement technologies). Instrumental, sampling, and operational procedures and protocols for each portable NIR instrument were established. Though representing different measurement technologies, very good spectral agreement was observed between the portable NIR instruments and a bench-top NIR unit used as a comparison. Rapid (less than 3 minutes per sample), easy to use, and accurate measurements of fiber micronaire and maturity was achieved for the portable NIR instruments, with regressions (Rs) greater than 0.85, low residuals, and a low number of outliers observed for each NIR instrument. Improvements are required for the accurate measurement of fiber fineness by portable NIR instruments. Thus, for well-defined cotton fiber samples, the universal nature of the NIR measurement of cotton fiber micronaire and maturity by portable NIR instruments was validated.