Studies of the Surface Geometry of Fibers

Abstract

The background for a study of surface geometry, among other surface properties of fibers, is briefly surveyed. By the adaptation of an instrument designed for measure ments in the metals industry, exploratory trials were conducted on specimens of a number of fiber types. Only ranges of readings of "arithmetic average roughness," rather than discrete values, were obtamable, but these results were promising in showing that widely different fiber types—viscose rayon, woll, and raw silk—occupied distinct levels. Indications were that the directional character of the scales on wool fibers could be detected Further experimentation, still of an exploratory nature, was con ducted with refined equipment providing means for graphically recording the Irregular ities of fiber surfaces. Comparison of tracings obtained in three successive measure ments on a single specimen of viscose rayon shows that the tracings are characteristic of the fiber surface and not merely, records of extraneous "noise."