The Strength and Weakness of Cotton Fibers

Abstract

Previous work has shown that the structural reversals of cotton fibers are points of weakness at which the fibers prefer to break. The present paper is concerned with the distribution of these reversals in the individual fibers and with differences in reversal frequencies for various cotton varieties. It is shown that indivual fibers vary greatly in their tendency to break at reversals. Fiber reversals are much more frequent at the tip end of the fiber than at the base end. In general, cotton varieties which have high reversal frequencies are weaker cottons as determined by single-fiber and bundle strength tests. The implications of these findings to mechanical properties of the fibers and to their behavior in yarns are discussed.