Identifier

etd-0708103-124302

Degree

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Human Ecology

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

The objectives of the research are to determine the impact of the retting methods and blending percentage on the properties of kenaf fiber as well as the yarns and fabrics that contain kenaf, and to analyze and characterize kenaf fiber and yarns and fabrics that contain kenaf in terms of physical properties, such as tensile strength, elongation, evenness, absorbency and surface characteristics. In this research, kenaf fiber bundles were treated by chemical methods and softened to improve fiber properties. The treated fibers then were blended with cotton having 0, 10%, 25%, and 50% blending ratio and spun into yarns with open-end rotor spinning and ring spinning. These yarns were knitted into fabrics. Comparative analysis of the kenaf fiber in terms of fiber length, fiber fineness, and fiber strength was done by Uster HVI, Uster Tensorapid, and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) techniques. The yarns were tested by Uster and SEM to determine their strength, elongation and structure. Properties of the fabrics were tested by KAWABATA System. It was found that after the chemical treatment, the fiber fineness, softness and elongation at break were improved, but the fiber bundle strength and length were decreased. Increasing the concentration of sodium hydroxide weakened the fiber strength significantly. To the yarns, the more the kenaf contained, the weaker the yarn and the fabric strength were, and the lower elongation the yarn and fabric have also. Fabrics became stiffer when kenaf blending ratio was increased. Open-end Rotor spun yarn and fabric exhibited a more even apparent but both were weaker than Ring spun yarn and fabric.

Date

2003

Document Availability at the Time of Submission

Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide.

Committee Chair

Yan Chen

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_theses.2054

Download

Included in

Human Ecology Commons

Share

COinS