Frictional Properties
Frictional Properties
Frictional Properties
Definition of Frictional Property: When the textile materials are processed, then friction is
developed between the fibers. The properties which are shown by a textile material during
friction is known as frictional property.
Definition of Friction:
A force that resists the relative motion or tendency to such motion of two bodies or substances in
contact sliding against each other.
Dry friction resists relative lateral motion of two solid surfaces in contact. Dry friction is
subdivided into static friction between non-moving surfaces, and kinetic friction between
moving surfaces.
Fluid friction describes the friction between layers of a viscous fluid that are moving
relative to each other.
Lubricated friction is a case of fluid friction where a lubricant fluid separates two solid
surfaces.[
Skin friction is a component of drag, the force resisting the motion of a fluid across the
surface of a body.
Internal friction is the force resisting motion between the elements making up a solid
material while it undergoes deformation.
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Frictional properties depend on:
Composition of the material: Frictional force depends on the composition of the material. For
example frictional force is higher in case of PVC and lower in case of glass.
Surface contact: Frictional force depends on number of true contact points between the surface.
This is proportional to the overall geometric area of contact.
State of the surface of the material: The friction is influenced by the roughness of the surface.
It changes on the use of lubricants on the surface. If lubricant completely removed from fiber
friction increases. Ex. Raw cotton on steel gave μ = 0.25, whereas scoured cotton on steel gave
μ= 0.7,and lubricated scoured cotton on steel gave values of μ ranging from 0.14 to 0.35.
Excessive cleanliness of flat filament and glass shows very high frictional co-efficient. For
Nylon, the value of μ was at least 8. This high value of friction was not found if the yarns were
twisted, or if the glass surface was roughened by grinding: this suggests that the effect is related
with a high true area of contact.
Cross-sectional shape: Cross-sectional shape provides an area of link between two surfaces that
is directly proportional to the frictional force. Again sharp edges of fiber produce high friction.
Fiber weight or normal load: Two fibers of same diameter and cross-sectional shape one is
solid and another is hollow, solid will make the more friction due to high weight.
Speed of material: It is experimentally found that, with the increase of speed frictional force
increases. The variation of friction with speed will have a considerable influence on the behavior
of fibers in drafting.
Pressure between the surfaces: If the pressure between the surfaces is high then the friction
will be high.
Temperature: If the temperature between the surfaces is high then the friction will be low.
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Relative humidity: If the Relative humidity between the surfaces is high then the friction will be
low.
Importance of Friction in Textile: Friction holds the fibers in a sliver and hence the sliver does
not break due to its’ own weight. Friction helps in drafting and drawing. Uniform tension can be
maintained during winding & warping because of friction. Friction helps to make yarn by
twisting during spinning. Friction increases lusture and smoothness of the yarn and the fabric.
Friction makes more clean material.
There are some aspects influenced by the frictional characteristics of the fibers: the handle and
wear resistance of fabrics; the behavior of fibers during drafting; and, especially in wool, the
process of felting.
Demerits of friction on textile material: Friction causes nep formation. High static friction
causes high breakage of yarn during weaving. If the frictional force is high, the handle properties
of fabric will be low. Friction generates temperature and therefore static electricity is developed
which attracts dust, dirt etc. and the materials become dirty. Sometimes due to over friction
materials may be elongated. Friction increases yarn hairiness. Friction worn out parts of
machine.
1. Sizing is done in warp yarn before weaving to reduce frictional intensity. As a result,
yarn damage will be reduced.
2. Emulsion, oil, lubricants etc. are specially applied on jute fiber to reduce friction.
3. Chemical treatment is done on wool fiber to reduce scale sharpness and thus reduce
friction during processing.
4. By calendaring frictional intensity of cloth is reduced.
5. Sometimes resin finish is applied on fabric
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Laws of dry friction
The elementary property of sliding (kinetic) friction were discovered by experiment in the 15th
to 18th centuries and were expressed as three empirical laws:
Amontons' First Law: The force of friction is directly proportional to the applied load.
Amontons' Second Law: The force of friction is independent of the apparent area of
contact.
Coulomb's Law of Friction: Kinetic friction is independent of the sliding velocity.
Coefficient of friction:
The coefficient of friction (COF), often symbolized by the Greek letter µ, is a dimensionless
scalar value which describes the ratio of the force of friction between two bodies and the force
pressing them together. The coefficient of friction depends on the materials used; for example,
ice on steel has a low coefficient of friction, while rubber on pavement has a high coefficient of
friction. Coefficients of friction range from near zero to greater than one.
For surfaces at rest relative to each other , where is the coefficient of static friction.
This is usually larger than its kinetic counterpart.
Static capstan method of determining co-efficient of friction : A loop of fibre is placed over
the guide and a small load placed on one side. The load on the other side is then decreased until
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slippage commences. If incoming tension is T 1 and leaving tension is T2 and the angle of contact
is θ.
T 2 μθ
Then we get, =e
T1
T2
log ( )=μθ
T1
1 T2
μ= log ( )
θ T1
From above equation we can measure the co-efficient of friction.
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Dynamic capstan method of determining co-efficient of friction: In this method, yarn is
running continuously over the guide. The tension may also be measured with tension meters. In
this typical form of apparatus they would be given with resistance, capacitance .
T 2 μθ
=e
T1
T2
log ( )=μθ
T1
1 T2
μ= log ( )
θ T1
Effect of Lubricant on Friction: Compared with its effect on metals, where it may reduce the
value of μ from 1 to 0.05, lubrication has comparatively little effect on the friction of fibres and
will not usually reduce the value of μ below about 0.2. Under these conditions, a good lubricant
acts by forming monolayers on the surface and preventing the adhesion of the two surfaces at
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points of contact. There are then very few contacts between the materials, and most of the
friction results from the force needed to shear the lubricant film itself.
If greater quantities of lubricant are present, then we may have conditions of hydrodynamic
lubrication, in which there is a comparatively thick film of fluid between the surfaces and the
friction results from the viscous resistance to flow.
At low speeds (or high loads), an oil film would not be maintained between the surfaces, and
rubbing friction would be dominant. This decreases with increased speed. Consequently, a
combination of rubbing friction at low speeds and hydrodynamic friction at high speeds would
give a minimum in the friction.
Directional Frictional Effect (DFE): The friction of the wool fibre depends on the direction in
which it is pulled: the resistance is greater when it is pulled against the scales than when it is
pulled with them. This is known as the directional frictional effect (DFE).
This effect has important technical consequences, since it means that, in a mass of wool,
individual fibres will show preferential movement in one direction and will continually entangle
themselves with the remaining fibres: this is the process of felting.
Importance of Directional Frictional Effect (DFE): Some experimental values for the
directional frictional effects of wool are given. It has been shown that the effect persists, though
to a reduced extent, when the fibres are lubricated or coated with thin films of gold or silver. In
Directional friction in wool water, or other swelling agents, the difference in the coefficients of
friction is greater than it is in air. On the other hand, the difference is less after mechanical
abrasion or chemical treatments, designed to reduce shrinkage, which attack the outer layer of
the wool fibre.
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Figure: Directional friction in wool: (a) between fibres placed in same direction; (b) between
fibres against scales; (c) between fibres with scales; (d) on plane surface, against scales; (e) on
plane surface, with scales.
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