Influence of Medullated Fibres on Mechanical Processing and Product Performance

Abstract

<span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%; font-family:" calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:="" "times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;mso-hansi-theme-font:="" minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"times="" roman";mso-ansi-language:en-us;="" mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:ar-sa"="">Two wools, non-medullated and medullated, were blended in different proportions to study the influence of medullated fibres on processing performance and product quality. Carpet pile, blanket and hand-made felt produced from the blended yarns were evaluated for performance. The processing loss increased and yarn strength gradually decreased with increase in the proportion of medullated fibres. The presence of medullated fibres improved resilience, visual appeal and handle of the carpet, while compressibility was retained. However, a compromise of these characteristics with abrasion resistance must be sought while selecting a wool mix for carpet manufacture as abrasion loss and intensity of chalky whiteness increase with increase in the proportion of medullated fibres. The warp- and weft-way breaking strengths of blanket fabrics decreased with increase in the proportion of medullated fibres. The strength weight factor of handmade felts decreased with increase in the proportion of medullated fibres, though the thickness improved. The minimum reasonable area density forfeit production was 700 <span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:" calibri","sans-serif";="" mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" new="" roman";="" mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;="" mso-bidi-font-family:arial;mso-ansi-language:en-us;mso-fareast-language:en-us;="" mso-bidi-language:ar-sa;mso-bidi-font-style:italic"="">g/m²<i>; </i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:" calibri","sans-serif";="" mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" new="" roman";="" mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;="" mso-bidi-font-family:"times="" roman";mso-ansi-language:en-us;mso-fareast-language:="" en-us;mso-bidi-language:ar-sa"="">below this the felts showed poor abrasion resistance.</span></span></span>