A SEM Study of Abrasion Damage to Cotton Fibers

Abstract

Resin-finished cotton fabrics and their controls were subjected to accelerated laboratory abrasion on the Accelerator, the Stoll Flex Quartermaster Universal Wear Tester, and the wash wheel. Dry and wet abrasion were tested. Similar fabrics from actual garments put through normal wear trials were also investigated in order to compare abrasion damage occurring in normal wear life with that resulting from accelerated laboratory abrasion. Abraded fabrics were examined with the aid of scanning electron microscope, and examples of damage at the fiber level are illustrated. The type of fiber damage depends upon the abrasion test method adopted. Damage resulting from actual wear conditions is different from that resulting from any of the accelerated test methods employed and cannot really be simulated by any single laboratory test available at present. Therefore, it is not surprising that very poor correlation has been observed in the past between actual wear life of fabrics and accelerated laboratory abrasion tests.