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    Forensics Fibers Notes

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    This document summarizes the key properties of several natural and synthetic fibers: Cotton, linen, wool, and silk are all natural fibers that come from plants or animals. They have varying thicknesses and properties when burned. Rayon is one of the first successful artificial fibers and resembles silk. Nylon and polyester are synthetic fibers that are durable but shrink and melt when burned. Spandex is stretchy and leaves a soft residue when burned.

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    Forensics Fibers Notes

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    api-41879003
    112 views6 pages
    This document summarizes the key properties of several natural and synthetic fibers: Cotton, linen, wool, and silk are all natural fibers that come from plants or animals. They have varying thicknesses and properties when burned. Rayon is one of the first successful artificial fibers and resembles silk. Nylon and polyester are synthetic fibers that are durable but shrink and melt when burned. Spandex is stretchy and leaves a soft residue when burned.

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    This document summarizes the key properties of several natural and synthetic fibers: Cotton, linen, wool, and silk are all natural fibers that come from plants or animals. They have varying thicknesses and properties when burned. Rayon is one of the first successful artificial fibers and resembles silk. Nylon and polyester are synthetic fibers that are durable but shrink and melt when burned. Spandex is stretchy and leaves a soft residue when burned.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    112 views6 pages

    Forensics Fibers Notes

    Uploaded by

    api-41879003
    This document summarizes the key properties of several natural and synthetic fibers: Cotton, linen, wool, and silk are all natural fibers that come from plants or animals. They have varying thicknesses and properties when burned. Rayon is one of the first successful artificial fibers and resembles silk. Nylon and polyester are synthetic fibers that are durable but shrink and melt when burned. Spandex is stretchy and leaves a soft residue when burned.

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    Cotton

    Wool

    Linen

    Nylon

    Silk

    Rayon

    Natural FibersFibers have varying thickness


    CottonMost commonly used plant (vegetable) fiber, appears like flattened, twisted ribon under
    microscope
    Cotton cloths include cheesechloth, organdy, chintz, gingham, crinoline, muslin, percale, calico,
    velveteen, seersucker, poplin, sail cloth, and canvas
    Cotton thread is treated with a solution of cold sodium hydroxide (lye, NaOH) to make it
    smooth and lustrious (mercerized)
    Burns, doesnt melt, smells like burning paper, leaves charred/gray white ash

    LinenCommon plant (vegetable) fiber, comes from flax plant


    Fiber is long, smooth, appears like bamboo under microscope, ends are pointed
    Used for handkerchiefs, tablecloths, napkins, summer clothing, blouses
    Burns at constant rate, no smoke, smells like burning grass or paper, produces sparks

    WoolDissolves in bleach
    Most commonly used animal fiber, obtained from sheep and goats
    Curly and springy
    Used for cashmere, camels hair, alpaca, covert cloth, flannel, gabardine, mohair, serge, tweed,
    and worsted
    Animal hair, cylinder with surface scales (cuticle-know your hair structures)
    Stops burning (self-extinguishes) if removed from fire, smells like burning hair, leaves black
    hollow bead that can be crushed to powder, doesnt melt

    SilkDissolves in bleach
    Animal fiber, composed of fibroin, from mulberry silk worms cocoon
    Appears like thin, long, smooth cylinder
    Used for brocade, brocatelle, chiffon, crepe, velvet, crepe de Chine, foulard, lame, moire, satin,
    taffeta, tulle, and falle
    Burns similar to wool, self-extinguishes if removed from fire, smells like burning hair but less
    strong than wool (doesnt contain sulfur), leaves black hollow bead that can be crushed to
    powder, doesnt melt

    Synthetic FibersFibers have uniform thickness


    RayonOne of first successful artificial fibers
    Made from cellulose, resembles silk when manufactured
    Very similar to natural fibers
    Appears smooth, lustrous cylinder under microscope
    Burns very similar to cotton, does not melt, smells like burning paper, leaves gray ash residue
    Note: Although rayon is included in most of the Science Olympiad study materials, it is actually
    not on the event sheet, so if during the test you are torn between rayon and something else,
    choose the other one, because this should technically not be on the test.

    PolyesterVery long and durable


    Hydrophobic, quick drying
    Shrinks from heat, melts, can drip, will burn if left in flame, smells chemical and maybe sweet,
    leaves hard bead that cannot be crushed

    Nylonaka Aliphatic polyamide


    Long fibers
    High durability, resilience, resistance to abrasions
    Transparent to infrared light
    Shrinks from heat (more quickly than polyester), melts, will burn if left in flame, smells like
    burning plastic and maybe celery, leaves hard bead that cannot be crushed

    SpandexSuper stretchy (500-800% expansion without breaking)


    Polyester-polyurethane copolymer
    Fuses and shrinks away from flame, sharp bitter smell, burns in flame, leaves soft sticky gummy
    residue

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