Application of the Optical Fiber Diameter Analyzer for assessing cotton fiber ribbon width

Authors: TESEMA, ADDISU - Texas Tech University; GAUTAM, SURENDRA - Texas Tech University; SAYEED, MD - Texas Tech University; TURNER, CHRISTOPHER - Texas Tech University; Delhom, Christopher; ABIDI, NOUREDDINE - Texas Tech University; HEQUET, ERIC - Texas Tech University

Submitted to: Journal of Natural Fibers
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/9/2024
Publication Date: 9/17/2024
Citation: Tesema, A.F., Gautam, S., Sayeed, M.A., Turner, C., Delhom, C.D., Abidi, N., Hequet, E.F. 2024. Application of the Optical Fiber Diameter Analyzer for assessing cotton fiber ribbon width. Journal of Natural Fibers. 21. https://doi.org/10.1080/15440478.2024.2397697.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15440478.2024.2397697

Interpretive Summary: Cotton fiber fineness is an essential trait for processing fibers into yarn. Fibers that are long, strong, and fine allow for the production of finer and stronger yarns. The existing methods for testing fineness are time-consuming, tedious, and impractical for the measurement of a large number of samples. The efficient and practical measurement of fiber fineness is necessary to enable researchers to understand the impact of genetics and production variables on the fineness of cotton fibers. Cotton fibers are elongated single cells which begin as hollow tubes which are filled with cellulose during crop development. When the boll opens the fibers dry and the the previously hollow tubes collapse to different extents based on the amount of cellulose deposited which is determined by genetics, weather, and crop stress. Ribbon width is an indirect measurement of the fineness, or diameter, of a fiber by measuring the projected width of the fiber. The Optical Fiber Diameter Analyzer (OFDA) was introduced for the rapid and precise evaluation of the diameter of wool, but recent advancements have suggested that the instrument may now work on the measurement of other materials such as cotton, hemp, and synthetic fibers. Two studies are reported within this manuscript. The first study assessed the stability and repeatability of the instrument for measurement of cotton samples over 18 days. The second study reports the results of ribbon-width measurements on a well-characterized set of 104 diverse cotton samples to allow for comparison of OFDA results with established industry techniques. Results of the OFDA testing showed a strong correlation between the OFDA ribbon width measurement and the more common Advanced Fiber Information System (AFIS) standard fineness. The correlation between OFDA results and the Cottonscope instrument was not strong but is likely due to the OFDA measurements being conducting in air and the Cottonscope measurements performed with the fibers in a water bath. The results indicate that the latest version of the OFDA instrument is useful in a laboratory setting to help researchers study cotton fiber fineness.

Technical Abstract: Cotton fibers are single elongated epithelial cells. Initially the fibers are hollow, however during crop development the secondary cell wall thickens with cellulose deposited nightly throughout the growing season. The amount of cellulose deposited is a function of weather and crop stress. Cotton bolls open when the fruit has matured and the fibers begin to dry and collapse. The perimeter of cotton fiber is largely genetic, while cellulose development is largely a function of the environment. The dried fiber is not uniform in cross-section as the fiber has twists and convolutions along its length which complicates the determination of fineness. Ribbon width is an indirect measurement of the fineness, or diameter, of a fiber by measuring the projected width of the fiber. The Optical Fiber Diameter Analyzer (OFDA) was originally intended for the evaluation of the diameter of wool, but recent advancements have suggested that the instrument may now work on the measurement of other materials such as cotton, hemp, and synthetic fibers. Two studies are reported within this manuscript. The first study assessed the stability and repeatability of the instrument for measurement of cotton samples over 18 days. The second study reports the results of ribbon-width measurements on a well-characterized set of 104 diverse cotton samples to allow for comparison of OFDA results with established industry techniques. Results of the OFDA testing showed a strong correlation between the OFDA ribbon width measurement and the more common Advanced Fiber Information System (AFIS) standard fineness. The correlation between OFDA results and the Cottonscope instrument was not strong but is likely due to the OFDA measurements being conducting in air and the Cottonscope measurements performed with the fibers in a water bath. The results indicate that the latest version of the OFDA instrument is useful in a laboratory setting to help researchers study cotton fiber fineness.