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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 #301625
Title: Fiber mass, count and breaking force from Stelometer test

Author
item Liu, Yongliang
item THIBODEAUX, DEVRON - Retired ARS Employee
item Rodgers Iii, James

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/23/2014
Publication Date: 4/14/2014
Citation: Liu, Y., Thibodeaux, D., Rodgers III, J.E. 2014. Fiber mass, count and breaking force from Stelometer test. National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference,January 6-8,2014, New Orleans, Louisiana. p. 901-907.

Interpretive Summary: Currently, three different systems have been used to measure the fiber maturity and fineness routinely, including the cross-sectional method based imaging microscopy and the advanced fiber information system (AFIS) as well as the gravimetric method based Cottonscope. Fiber linear density is often referred to as fiber fineness. This study examined the relationship among cotton fiber mass, count, and breaking force and also between fiber tenacity and linear density, since fiber linear density can be easily calculated for a weighted Stelometer bundle if the fiber number is known. From the plots of either tenacity vs. linear density or fiber count vs. mass, the fibers were subjectively divided into fine or coarse class. For a small sample set, both tenacity and single fiber breaking force increase linearly with linear density among the respective fine or coarse fibers. The outcome provides cotton fiber / textile engineers, researchers and regulators a new sight in a fundamental understanding the relationship between fiber tenacity and fineness.

Technical Abstract: A fundamental understanding of the relationship among cotton fiber mass, count, and breaking force is important, as bundle fiber tenacity, elongation, and linear density can be calculated from these three parameters. In this study, the Stelometer instrument was employed, mostly because it is the traditional fiber strength reference method and could be still preferred as a screening tool due to its significant low cost and portable attribute. By examining the plots of either tenacity vs. linear density or fiber count vs. mass, the fibers were subjectively divided into fine or coarse class. Under this conception, both tenacity and single fiber breaking force increase linearly with linear density among the respective fine or coarse fibers. In general, HVITM micronaire and AFIS fineness increase with fiber linear density.