An integrated approach to analyzing the nature of multicomponent fiber blending - Part II: Experimental analysis of structural and attributive blending

In this part of our study, we report the results of an experimental analysis of the structural and attributive blending modes discussed in Part I. This analysis results in a number of interesting findings relevant to the nature of multiple-component fiber blends. In the case of cotton/cotton blends, cotton fibers of substantially different length and fineness values can be blended together, provided that an adjustment is made to yield a proportionally balanced structural blending. The results also indicate that blending cotton fibers with substantially different levels of maturity and elongation may result in an attributive bias toward the fiber component exhibiting poor maturity and low elongation. When cotton and polyester fibers are blended together, there is severe bi-modality in the blended fiber length distribution. This bi-modality can occur even if the blend profile exhibits a linear pattern. When low-strength/high-elongation polyester is blended with high-strength/low-elongation cotton, nonlinear blend profiles of fiber strength and elongation are produced. In this case, yarn strength and elongation are determined by the low values of fiber strength and elongation. When high-strength/high-elongation polyester fibers are blended with low-strength/low-elongation cotton fibers, linear and additive blend profiles of fiber strength and elongation are produced. In this case, the strength of the blended yarn is biased toward the high-strength component, and the elongation of the blended yarn is biased toward the low-elongation component.