This document describes the burning and microscopic properties of various textile fibers (cotton, wool, silk, linen, nylon, rayon, polyester, acetate). It notes how each fiber burns, its burning smell, and how it dissolves in various chemical solutions. Cotton burns with a steady flame and smells like burning leaves. Wool is harder to ignite than silk and smells like burning hair. Silk burns readily and smells like burning hair. Linen takes longer to ignite than other fibers. Nylon melts and burns rapidly, smelling like burning plastic. Rayon leaves a slight ash and smells like burning leaves. Polyester melts and burns at the same time, leaving a hard ash with a sweetish smell

2. NAME: KAINAT ASLAM
TS-01(A)
TEXTILE176

6. When ignited it burns with a steady flame and
smells like burning leaves. The ash lefties
easily crumbled. Small samples of burning
cotton can be blown out as you would a candle.

7. It is a single elongated cell. Under the
microscope, it resembles a collapsed , spirally
twisted tube with a rough surface.
The thin cell wall of the fiber has from 200 to
400 convolutions per inch.

8. At 45C, 75% zinc chloride solution dissolves
cotton that has not been mercerized.

10. It is also a protein fiber but it is harder to ignite
than silk as the individual Hair fibers are
shorter than silk and the weave of the fabrics is
generally looser than with silk. The flame is
steady but more difficult to keep burning. The
smell of burning wool is like burning hair.

11. Under the microscope, wool’s cross section
shows three layers-epidermis, cortex and the
medulla.

12. At 100C, 5% Solution of sodium hydroxide
dissolves wool protein fiber dissolves only
partially and very slowly.

14. It is a protein fiber, and usually burns readily,
not necessarily with a steady flame, and smells
like burning hair. The ash is easily crumbled.
Silk samples are not as easily extinguished as
cotton or linen.

15. It appears somewhat elliptical and triangular in
cross section when we see under the
microscope.
It is composed of fibroin, consisting of two
filaments, called Brin which is held together by
sericin.

16. At 20C, 60% sulfuric acid dissolves silk.
At 100C, 5% solution of sodium hydroxide
dissolves silk and reconstituted protein fibers
dissolve only partially and very slowly.

18. Linen takes longer to ignite. The fabric closest
to the ash is very brittle . Linen is easily
extinguished by blowing on it as you would a
candle.

19. Under the microscope, the hair like flax fiber
shows several sided cylindrical filaments with
fine pointed ends.
The fiber somewhat resembles a straight,
smooth.

20. Linen dissolved in 70% solution of sulfuric
acid at the temperature of 38 degree in 20
minutes.

23. Nylon melts and then burns rapidly if the flame
remains on the melted fiber. If I can keep the
flame on the melting nylon, it smells like
burning plastic.

24. The basic microscopic appearance is generally
fine, round, smooth and translucent.
It is also produced in multilobal, cross-
sectional types.

25. At 20C, concentrated (12 M) hydrochloric acid
dissolves nylon less concentrated (6 M)
hydrochloric acid dissolves nylon.
At 20C, sulfuric acid dissolves nylon.

27. Rayon is a regenerated cellulosic fiber which is
almost pure cellulose. Rayon burns rapidly and
leaves only a slight ash. The burning smell is
close to burning leaves.

28. Rayon fibers have a glasslike luster under the
microscope and appear to have a uniform
diameter when viewed longitudinally.

29. Rayon dissolved in 38% solution of
hydrochloric acid at the temperature of 24
degree in 5 minutes.

31. Polyester burns and melts at the same time.
The melting, burning ash can bond quickly to
any surface it drips on including skin. The
smoke from polyester is black with a sweetish
smell. The extinguished ash is hard.

32. Generally, polyester fibers are smooth and
straight and the cross-section is round.
This general characteristics may be altered to
achieve certain characteristics.

33. Polyester dissolved in 100% solution of meta-
cresol at the temperature of 139 degree in 5m.

35. Acetate burns readily with a flickering flame
that cannot be easily extinguished. The burning
cellulose drips and leaves a hard ash. The smell
is similar to burning wood chips.

36. The cross sectional view has a bulbous or multi
global appearance with indentations.
These indentations appear as occasional
markings.

37. Acetate dissolves at 20C, 60% sulfuric acid.