Study of Plant, animal and mineral fibres

1. Absorbent and nonabsorbent cotton
2. Jute
3. Flax
4. Hemp
5. Asbestos
6. Glass wool
7. Silk
8. Wool
9. Rayon/ Viscose
Jegan

COTTON
1. Synonym: Raw cotton, Purified cotton
2. Biological Source: It consist of the epidermal trichomes or hairs of the seed of
cultivated species of Gossypium herbaceum, Gossypium hirsutum, Gossypium
barbadense belonging to family Malvaceae
3. Geographical Source: United States, Egypt, some parts of Africa and India
4. Preparation:
Jegan

• A
The plant after bearing flower,
bear fruits known as capsule
The capsule consist of 3 to 5
seeds and is covered with hairs
The bolls are collected when
ripe, separated from the
capsule, dried and subjected to
ginning process
In ginning process the
trichomes are separated from
seeds
The short and long hairs are
separated by delinters
The long-sized cotton hairs are
subsequently freed from
coloring matters
traces of wax and oil coating
the hairs which render them
non-absorbent are also
subsequently removed
the processed cotton fibres are
defatted (with alkali) washed,
bleached (with chlorinated
soda) and then washed (with
diluted mineral acid)
It is again washed, dried, and
sterilized.

COLOUR White
ODOUR Odourless
TASTE Tasteless
SIZE Fine filaments like hair
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5. Chemical Constituents:
Absorbent cotton contains mostly
• Cellulose 93-94%
• Moisture 6-7%
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6. Use:
• It is employed as surgical dressings.
• It is mostly used in the textile industry to prepare a wide range of
fibers.
• It is invariably employed as its derivatives to be recognized as the most
versatile adjunct in pharmaceutical formulations, for instance:
 Microcrystalline cellulose – as Tablet Disintegrant
 Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC) – as Binder and thickening agent;
 Cellulose acetate phthalate – as an Enteric coating material;
 Ethyl Cellulose – as Binder and Film
 Methyl Cellulose coating substance;
• It is used as a filtering medium and also as an insulating material.
Jegan

JUTE
1. Synonym: Gunny
2. Biological Source: It consist of phloem fibres from the stem of Corchorus
capsularis, Corchorus olitorius, Corchorus junodi belonging to family Tiliaceae
3. Geographical Source: Bangladesh, India- West Bengal, Assam
4. Preparation:
Jegan

Retting is the process
for the preparation of
bast fibres
This is done by 3
methods- Microbial,
steam and mechanical
process
Microbial method is
widely followed
Using this method the
lignin bond between
parenchyma and
sclerenchyma is broken
Breaking the bond
facilitates easy
procurement of skin
from its core
It is then washed and
dried to convert hard
skin to soft fine thread
The jute fibres are
graded according to its
color
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5. Chemical Constituents
• Jute is composed of about
• 50-53% cellulose
• 20% hemicellulose
• 10-11% lignin
• 12-13% moisture
• Fats
• Wax
COLOUR White to brown
ODOUR Odourless
TASTE Tasteless
SIZE 1-4 meter long
Jegan

6. Use
• Used in preparation of sacks and coarse cloth
• Woven into curtains, chair coverings, carpets
• Used in manufacturing of bags
• Used in manufacturing of straining and filtering medium
Jegan

FLAX
1. Biological Source: It is the pericyclic fibres which are removed from the stem
of Linum usitatissimum belonging to family Linaceae
2. Geographical Source: United States, Russia, Ireland, Northern Europe
3. Preparation:
Jegan

The flax stems are
obtained
It is tied in bunches and
put into water for retting
Standing pools are
beneficial because it
provides better color and
superior quality
The process of retting
through fermentation
permits bacteria to
breakdown woody tissue
After retting process the
stems are washed
It is then allowed to dry
on grass
Beaten using machine to
separate fibres from other
material
The bark remaining after
process of beating is then
subjected for combing to
remove nonfibrous matter
Parallel pericyclic fibres
are obtained
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Description
• Length of fibre is 30-90cm
• The short broken fibre is called ‘tow’
• It is hygroscopic in nature
• It is soft, lustrous and flexible
• It has more tensile strength than cotton
fibre but less elasticity
5. Chemical Constituents
It contain pecto cellulose
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6. Use
• Used as a filtering medium
• Short threads are used to prepare coarse fabrics and cordage
• Long fibre is used for making strong threads
• Used in paper industry for the purpose of currency printing and cigarette paper
Jegan

HEMP
1. Biological Source: It is the pericyclic fibre obtained from Cannabis sativa
belonging to family Cannabinaceae
2. Geographical Source: China, Europe, Korea, France
3. Preparation:
Jegan

• A
When the grain is ripe, the
stem is pulled by roots
After being thus pulled, it is
tied up in small parcels,
termed as baits
It is then conveyed to pits,
or ponds of stagnant water
for retting process
After retting process it is
removed and dried
It is then subjected to
mechanical separation,
The stalks are passed
between fluted rollers to
crush and break the woody
core into short pieces
(called hurds)
The remaining hurds and
fibers are separated by a
process called scutching
Bleaching of fibre Dried and graded
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• Hemp fibres contains about
 70% cellulose
 8-10% lignin
Hemp is stronger and more durable than any other natural fabric, including linen
Not only is hemp strong, but it also holds its shape, stretching less than any other natural fiber
Hemp’s superior absorbency, due to its porous nature, means that it is very breathable and quick drying
Hemp has a high resistance to ultraviolet light; it will not fade or disintegrate from sunlight
Hemp fiber is highly resistant to rotting, and its resistance to mildew, mold and salt water
It has natural antibacterial property
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5. Use:
• Hemp has been used for centuries to make rope, canvas and paper
• Long hemp fibres can be spun and woven to make crisp, linen-like fabric used in
clothing, home furnishing textiles and floor coverings.
(The original Levi’s jeans is made from hemp fibre)
• Due to high tensile strenght used in preparation of indutrial filters, Currency
notes, cigarette paper
Jegan

SILK
1. Biological Source: The silk fibre is prepared from the cocoons of Bombyx
mori commonly called as mulberry silk worm belonging to family Bombycidae or
Moraceae
2. Geographical Source: India, China, Japan, France, Italy
3. Preparation:
Jegan

• A
Jegan
A female moth lays
many tiny eggs
A tiny caterpillar
hatches out of the egg
The caterpillar eats
mulberry leaves and
grows bigger and
bigger
During growth, the
caterpillar molts 4
times
The caterpillar spins a
cocoon of silk threads
around itself
Inside the cocoon
caterpillar changes to
pupa
If silkworms are allowed
to mature and break
through cocoon the silk
will be short and useless
The encased pupa is
plunged into boiling water
to kill the pupa and
dissolve the glue holding
the cocoon together
The end of silk located and
cocoon unwound into
spindle to be made into
thread

• Silk mainly consist of protein known as Fibrion
• The fibrion is soluble in warm water and on hydrolysis yields amino acid glycine and
alanine
Jegan

5. Use:
• Silk is used pharmaceutically for preparation of sutures, sieves and ligatures
• Preparation of silk cloths
Jegan

WOOL
1. Synonym: Sheep wool
2. Biological Source: Wool consist of hairs from the fleece of sheep Ovis aries
belonging to family Bovidae
3. Geographical Source: Australia, New Zealand, Turkey, Iran, India
4. Preparation:
Jegan

The hairs forming on the fleece of the sheep are removed
Washed with soap or alkali to remove woolfat/lanolin
The clean and defatted wool is subjected to bleaching
It is then washed again and dried
Carded and spun into yarn
Jegan

5. Chemical constituents:
• Sulphur containing protein keratin
• Keratin is rich in amino acid cystine
Color Off white
Appearance Elastic, lustrous, smooth
Solubility Wool is insoluble in warm hydrochloric acid and in cold
concentrated sulphuric acid
Extra features Wool fibre has well to excellent affinity for dyestuffs. It
may retain about 17% of moisture of its weight.
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6. Use:
• Filtering and straining medium
• Used in preparation of crepe bandage and dressing
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VISCOSE
1. Synonym: Rayon, regenerated cellulose
2. Source: Viscose is a viscous orange red aqueous solution of sodium cellulose
xanthogenate obtained by dissolving wood pulp cellulose in sodium hydroxide
solution and treating with carbon disulphide
3. Preparation:
Jegan

The cellulosic raw
materials for rayon are
wood chips (from
spruce or pine) or
cotton linters.
These are treated to
produce sheets of
purified cellulose
containing 87-98%
cellulose
They are then bleached
with sodium
hypochloride (NaOCl) to
remove natural colour.
These cellulose sheets
are then soaked in 18%
caustic soda for 1 to 2
hours producing sheets
of alkali cellulose
Any excess alkali is
pressed out.
The substance is broken
up into flakes or grains
called cellulose crumbs
Liquid carbon disulfide
is added to the crumbs
to change the cellulose
into cellulose xanthate,
a light orange substance
These crumbs are
dissolved in a weak
solution of caustic soda
and transformed into a
viscous solution called
"viscose",
To produce the rayon
filament, the viscose
solution is aged and
filtered
then vacuum-treated to
remove any air bubbles
that could weaken the
filament
It is then pumped
through spinnerets into
a bath of sulfuric acid
This coagulates the
cellulose xanthate to
form regenerated
filaments of 100%
cellulose

4. Properties
 Viscose gives the appearance and feels as soft and silky
 Viscose has the aptitude to respire in a wary similar to
cotton
 Viscose fibres have good moisture regain property like
cotton fibres
 Viscose fibres can be easily dyed in several colors
 When heating the viscose fibre, it does not shrink
 Viscose fibre is biodegradable
 Viscose can be blend with some other fibres: with
polyester gives Polyviscose, with cotton give Cotton-
Viscose
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5. Chemical Test
• With iodine and sulphuric acid they give blue color
• Cold sulphuric acid (60% w/w) dissolves the fibre
• On ignition they behave like cotton
Jegan

6. Use:
• Rayon is used in manufacturing of fabrics,
• The fabric is used to create clothing such as blouses, jackets, sportswear and
dresses.
• In home furnishing, blankets, sheets and curtains may all be made from rayon.
• Rayon is used in manufacturing of medical surgical products.
Jegan

ASBESTOS
1. Source:
• Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral which differs from other mineral in its
crystal development.
• The crystal formation of asbestos is in the form of long thin fibres
2. Geographical Source: Asbestos deposits can be found throughout the world and
are still mined in Australia, Canada, South Africa
3. Description:
Jegan

ASBESTOS
SERPENTINE
Chrysotile A Chrysotile B
AMPHIBOLE
Amosite Crocidolite Anthophyllite Tremolite Actinolite
On the basis of crystalline structure, asbestos are divided into 2 mineral group
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• It is a double silicate of calcium-magnesium with little amount of iron which
gives color to asbestos
5. Use:
• Used as filtering medium for caustic alkalies, for bacterial filters
• Used as heat resistant insulators
• Used in preparation of fire proof gloves and fire proof clothing
• Thermal pipe insulation
Jegan

GLASS WOOL
1. Synonym:
2. Biological Source: The fibres consist of silica mixed with oxides of aluminium,
calcium, boron & magnesium
3. Preparation:
Jegan

The manufacturing
process for glass wool
uses large furnaces to
gradually melt the
silica sand, and other
minerals to liquid form
It is then extruded
through bushings,
which are bundles of
very small orifices
(typically 5–25
micrometres in
diameter) to obtain
fiber mat
This fiber mat is then
heated to around
200 °C to polymerize
the resin and is
calendered to give it
strength and stability.
The final stage involves
cutting the wool and
packing it in rolls or
panels under very high
pressure
Jegan

4. Properties:
• Glasswool products are non-combustible and positioned for operating
temperatures up to 300°C.
• It is made of 80% recyclable materials
• It is lightweight and easy to install
• Glass wool will not promote mould growth or vermin infestation
• It is non corrosive to metal
Jegan

5. Use:
• Used for electrical, sound and heat insulation
• Used in air filters
• Construction of filter fabrics and bed
Jegan

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