Investigation of fiber maturity and crystallinity information in Upland seed cottons by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Authors: Liu, Yongliang; Delhom, Christopher - Chris

Submitted to: Textile Research Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/19/2022
Publication Date: 12/15/2022
Citation: Liu, Y., Delhom, C.D. 2022. Investigation of fiber maturity and crystallinity information in Upland seed cottons by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Textile Research Journal. 93(11–12):2507–2519. https://doi.org/10.1177/00405175221137096.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00405175221137096

Interpretive Summary: Cross-sectional image analysis (IA), advanced fiber information system (AFIS), and Cottonscope methods have been used to measure fiber maturity on cotton lint, and they report the results as average maturity and maturity distribution through measuring individual fiber cross-sections or longitude of several sub-samples. As a different approach, attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR FT-IR) spectroscopy has been proposed to measure fiber maturity (MIR) at bundle fiber level. Extending fiber maturity measurement into seed cotton, FT-IR has advantageous of micro-sampling without initial removal of both cotton seed and visible trash as well as of sub-sampling representation in a naturally variable sample. Comparison of fiber MIR average on seed cottons to AFIS maturity ratio (MR) on ginned cotton fibers exhibited a general trend of increasing MR with MIR. Fiber classification analysis implied the distinctions within seed cottons having close MIR average and among the same cultivar grown at different conditions. The results could provide cotton scientists an alternative and rapid tool for monitoring the MIR and fiber crystallinity (CIIR) distribution within one seed cotton sample or between seed cotton samples.

Technical Abstract: Cotton fiber maturity has been determined by cross-sectional image analysis (IA), advanced fiber information system (AFIS), and Cottonscope method on cotton lint. These methods have reported the results as average maturity and maturity distribution in a sample, through measuring the fibers in the way of either individual fiber cross-section or longitude of several sub-samples. Previous studies have shown good agreement in maturity for well-prepared samples among these methods, although AFIS is observed to be less sensitivity. As a different approach, attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR FT-IR) spectroscopy has been proposed to measure fiber maturity (MIR) at bundle fiber level. Extending fiber maturity measurement into seed cotton, FT-IR method might be an option considering such factors as essential cotton seed and visible trash removal, measuring system availability and speed, and also sub-sampling representation in a naturally variable sample. Comparison of fiber MIR average on seed cottons to AFIS maturity ratio (MR) on ginned cotton fibers exhibited a general trend of increasing MR with MIR. Examination of MIR frequency showed that 2 samples possess less than 20% MIR distribution across entire MIR range (0.3 to 1.0), unlike others with greater than 20% MIR occurrence at narrow MIR interval (0.7 to 0.9). On the basis of MIR value, three-MIR (low-, mid-, and high-) fiber classification analysis implied the distinctions within seed cottons having close MIR average, and among the same cultivar grown at different conditions. Additionally, cultivars with a similar maturity distribution varied in fiber crystallinity (CIIR) distribution, and vice versa.