Predicting Yarn Processing Performance from the Noncellulosic

Content of Raw Cottons

DONALD E. BRUSHWOOD
USDA, ARS, SAA, Cotton Quality Research Station, Clemson, South Carolina 29633, U.S.A.

ABSTRACT
Noncellulosic materials on raw cottons can influence spinning performance. Chemical
and physical tests are conducted on a series of nonsticky single-season upland cottons
originating from three U.S. growing areas. Relationships are determined between yarn
production performance and efficiency and fiber frictional and physical properties as well
as nonfibrous material content for three different spinning systems. Fiber micronaire
significantly influences results. Increases in yarn strength correlate with increasing levels
of total fiber alcohol surface extractables, wax, and potassium content. Processing ends
down increases in ring and open-end spinning and decreases in vortex spinning as fiber
alcohol surface extractables, wax, and light metal content increase. Ends down decrease
in ring an open-end spinning and increase in vortex spinning as the HVI trash measurement
increases. Uster yarn evenness neps and thick and thin places decrease in ring and
open-end and increase in vortex yarns as alcohol surface extractables increase. Fiber
yellowness and grayness increase as concentrations of the metals potassium, magnesium,
and iron increase.

Noncellulosic materials on raw cottons may influence
fiber physical properties, yarn processing efficiency, and
product quality. Concentrations generally depend on a
number of contributing factors such as growth area,
genetic variety, degree of fiber maturity, field weather-
ing, length of growing season, growing and harvest aid
chemical treatments, any insect honeydew present, and
possible contamination experienced in handling during
the picking, ginning, and baling processes. A number of
previous publications have addressed the general affects
of different levels of natural, insect, and man-induced
materials on ginned cottons and how they may affect
yarn quality [1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9].
Modern trends in the development of textile machin-
ery are to increase production speeds, so greater stresses
and demands are placed on fibers to perform. Naturally
occurring materials such as plant sugars, wax, metals,
and various organic compounds, which combined can
easily exceed 3% of the fiber weight, are generally con-
sidered to be surface related. Thus, they have the increas-
ing potential to impact fiber and yarn properties, process-
ing efficiency, and product quality.
We have designed this study to measure concentra-
tions of individual nonfibrous materials found on a va-
riety of single-season cottons from three different grow-
ing areas, and to determine any potential influences they
may have on ring, open-end, and vortex spinning perfor-
mance and finished yarn quality.
Experimental
YARN PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING DATA
The samples in this report are from an on-going five-
year study of upland cottons. Twenty-one nonsticky cot-
tons originating from the Southeast (six varieties), Mid-
south (seven varieties), and West Texas (eight varieties)
growing areas were processed into ring, open-end, and
vortex yarns at the USDA Laboratory at Clemson. Yarn
sizes were Ne 20/1 for open-end and ring and Ne 35/1 for
the vortex spinning systems. Processing efficiency, yarn
quality, and waste generation data were recorded. Two of
the fourteen different varieties in this single season study
were common to all three growing areas, and four others
were common to two growing areas.
Important fiber and yarn physical and processing prop-
erties addressed in this report include HVI measurements,
Stelometer strength, and carding sliver RotorRing fric-
tion measurements, Suter-Webb mean and upper quartile
length measurements, ring, open-end, and vortex ends

Textile Res. J. 75(1), 1–5 (2005) 0040-5175/$15.00

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down in spinning, single strand yarn strength, evenness
IPI neps, and thin and thick place measurements.
ANALYSIS OF RAW COTTON FOR NONCELLULOSIC
MATERIALS AND FRICTIONAL PROPERTIES
All cottons were conditioned in a laboratory for at
least three weeks before triplicate measurements of fiber
moisture content (ASTM method D2495-01) on each
sample. Moisture contents ranged from 6.67 to 7.20%
(based on the fiber weight). The standard deviation mois-
ture determination was ⫾0.10%. Corrections for individ-
ual cotton moisture contents were used to determine the
subsequent nonfibrous material concentrations.
Wax was removed from the lint by conducting tripli-
cate six-hour Soxhlet 1-1-1 trichloroethane solvent ex-
tractions of duplicate samples. Total surface extractables
(wax and other noncellulosic materials) were removed
using the same Soxhlet extraction procedure as for wax
removal, except the solvent was absolute ethanol. The
standard deviation for wax and alcohol extractions was
⫾3% of the amount determined.
Preparation and analysis of the cottons for metal
content followed the procedure previously reported [2,
3]. The standard deviation for preparing samples and
solutions for metals analysis was ⫾ 4%. At least two
separate determinations were made on each solution of
triplicate samples. Hence, metal concentrations pre-
sented here are an average of at least six determina-
tions per sample. The standard deviation for determin-
ing metals was ⫾5%.
Additional raw cotton and yarn samples were submit-
ted to the Institute of Textile Technology (ITT) labora-
tory in Charlottesville, VA, for RotorRing fiber-to-metal
(f/m) and fiber-to-fiber (f/f) frictional property measure-
ments. These measurements determine the amount of
energy (in joules) to open parallel fibers formed on a
rotor [5]. At least four measurements for both frictional
tests were conducted per cotton. Data presented here
represent average values for each friction test. Fiber HVI
measurements (strength, color, etc.) were determined by
the USDA Quality Control Classing Office in Memphis,
TN. All other fiber and yarn measurements were con-
ducted at the Clemson USDA-ARS Cotton Quality Sta-
tion Spinning or Fiber Testing Laboratories.
The significance of these data averages was deter-
mined by SAS for Windows (SAS Institute, Cary, NC)
and statistical t-tests. Correlation coefficients (r values)
were based on linear regression (how well data points are
related to each other).
Results and Discussion
RAW COTTON PHYSICAL PROPERTY MEASUREMENTS
Growth area had a significant effect on the fiber mi-
cronaire. We saw a good example of this effect when
comparing the two Fibermax varieties grown in all three
areas (Table I). Micronaire for all twenty-one of these
cottons ranged from a high of 5.56 for a single Missis-
sippi to a low of 2.89 for the Fibermax 832 variety in
Table I. Table II gives the averages, by growing location,
for raw cotton fiber physical property measurements
such as HVI micronaire, strength, color measurements,
and trash. Also included are Stelometer strength, Suter-
Webb upper quartile and mean lengths, and oven-dried
moisture contents. Average Texas HVI micronaire, trash,
color ⫹b (yellowness), and fiber moisture content were
significantly different from the other two growing areas.
There were no significant differences between HVI and
Stelometer strengths, HVI Rd, and Suter-Webb upper
quartile and mean lengths for the different growing areas.
Carding sliver f/f frictions (in joules) averaged about
twice those of f/m frictions. Results were mixed with no
significant differences detect between growing areas.
TABLE I. Average fiber micronaires for two varieties
common to three different growing areas.
Micronaire
Location FM 832 FM 966 Location average
Texas 2.89 3.20 3.04
Georgia 4.04 4.35 4.19
Miss. 3.97 4.53 4.27

TABLE II. Average physical properties of cottons from three different domestic growing areas.a

HVI S.W.
Stelo. Moisture
Loc. N Mic. Str. (g/tex) Rd ⫹b Trash, % str., g/tex UQL, in. ML, in content, %

TX 8 3.26a 29.14a 79.32a 9.24a 0.135a 22.58a 1.25a 0.984a 7.017a

GA 6 4.36b 29.04a 77.78a 7.85c 0.453b 22.18a 1.18b 0.939b 6.735b
MS 7 4.63b 28.57a 74.44a 8.52b 0.420b 21.76a 1.21ab 0.971ab 6.831b
a
Means in a column having a letter in common are not statistically different (␣ ⫽ 0.05).
JANUARY 2005
TABLE III. Average noncellulosic extractables and metal contents of cottons from different domestic growing areas.a
Loc. N Wax, % Alcohol, %
TX 8 0.635a 2.59a
GA 6 0.402b 1.80b
MS 7 0.401b 1.25c
a
Means in a column having a letter in common are not significantly different (␣ ⫽ 0.05).
FIBER EXTRACTIONS, ASH RESIDUES, AND METALS
Growing area averages for fiber extractions, ash residues,
and those measured individual metals are shown in Table
III. There were significantly higher average concentrations
for the amount of surface alcohol and wax extractions, ash
residues, and the metal potassium in Texas-grown cottons.
Iron levels were also slightly higher in Texas cottons.
INFLUENCES OF MICRONAIRE ON FIBER PROPERTIES
NONCELLULOSIC CONTENT
Fiber moisture content (r ⫽ ⫺0.56), HVI (r ⫽ ⫺0.44),
and Stelometer (r ⫽ ⫺0.52) strengths, Suter-Webb array
upper quartile length (r ⫽ ⫺0.71), HVI color Rd
(r ⫽ ⫺0.45) and ⫹b (r ⫽ ⫺0.36), and carding sliver
f/m (r ⫽ ⫺0.61) and f/f frictions (r ⫽ ⫺0.77) for all
twenty-one cottons increased as micronaire decreased.
HVI trash increased as micronaire increased (r ⫽ 0.59).
Fiber wax content (r ⫽ ⫺0.71), alcohol surface extract-
ables (r ⫽ ⫺0.88, Figure 1), residues from ashing
(r ⫽ ⫺0.73), and concentrations of potassium (r ⫽ ⫺0.66),
magnesium (r ⫽ ⫺0.44), and iron (r ⫽ ⫺0.67) each in-
creased as micronaire decreased. Fiber sodium content
tended to increase as micronaire increased (r ⫽ 0.36).
FIGURE 1. Relationship between fiber ethyl alcohol
extractables and fiber micronaire.
3
Metals, ppm
Ash, % K Ca Mg Na Fe
1.66a 4990a 930a 690a 117a 59a
1.23b 3970b 970a 690a 140a 34b
1.08c 3260c 830a 500b 145a 37b
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN METAL CONTENT AND FIBER
COLOR
HVI yellowness (⫹b) and grayness (Rd) measurements
showed a tendency to increase as concentrations of cer-
tain metals increased. Both Rd (r ⫽ 0.68) and ⫹b (r
⫽ 0.50) values increased as the potassium content in-
creased. Yellowness increased as fiber iron content in-
creased (r ⫽ 0.60). Rd increased as the magnesium
AND content increased (r ⫽ 0.48).
RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN YARN PROCESSING
PERFORMANCE AND FIBER NONCELLULOSIC CONTENT
Table IV is a summary of the correlations (r values)
between the nonfibrous materials on the raw cotton and five
important yarn processing properties, including fiber ethyl
alcohol extractables, wax content, HVI trash measured prior
to processing, and total light metal contents. Yarn process-
ing property measurements for the ring, open-end, and
vortex spinning systems include yarn single strand strength,
actual ends down in spinning, yarn evenness neps, and thin
and thick places. Correlations represent values calculated
for all twenty-one cottons. While some of the correlations in
this table may seem to be weak or nonsignificant for a
particular spinning system, all correlations are presented to
illustrate similarities and/or differences detected.
Yarn single strand strengths for all spinning systems
increased as ethyl alcohol surface extractables, fiber wax
contents, and total light metal contents increased. Yarn ends
down increased in ring and open-end and decreased in
vortex spinning as alcohol extractables (Figure 2), wax
(Figure 3), and total light metal content increased. Evenness
neps and thin and thick places decreased in ring and open-
end and increased in vortex yarns as alcohol extractables
(Figures 4 and 5), wax content, and total metal content
increased.
Summary and Conclusions
Twenty-one cottons from three major domestic grow-
ing areas were spun on ring, open-end, and vortex sys-
tems, then analyzed for their physical and frictional
4 TEXTILE RESEARCH JOURNAL

TABLE IV. Correlations (r values) between noncellulosic materials on cotton and yarn spinning performance data.

Al. Extr. Wax HVI trash L. metals

R OE Vor R OE Vor R OE Vor R OE Vor

Yarn S.S. Str. 0.51 0.66 0.50 0.57 0.62 0.43 ⫺0.21 ⫺0.29 0.12 0.23 0.46 0.33
Ends down 0.58 0.74 ⫺0.12 0.45 0.57 ⫺0.33 ⫺0.57 ⫺0.40 0.23 0.43 0.52 ⫺0.20
Neps ⫺0.21 ⫺0.14 0.69 ⫺0.01 0.03 0.53 0.44 0.51 ⫺0.50 ⫺0.42 ⫺0.40 0.33
Thin places ⫺0.64 ⫺0.68 0.41 ⫺0.73 ⫺0.52 0.16 0.15 0.47 ⫺0.68 ⫺0.40 ⫺0.44 0.39
Thick places ⫺0.28 ⫺0.64 0.80 ⫺0.42 ⫺0.44 0.64 0.04 0.54 ⫺0.73 ⫺0.47 ⫺0.49 0.55

FIGURE 4. Relationship between fiber ethyl alcohol

extractables and yarn thin place measurements.
FIGURE 2. Relationship between fiber ethyl alcohol
extractables and ends down in spinning.

FIGURE 5. Relationship between fiber ethyl alcohol

extractables and yarn thick places.
FIGURE 3. Relationship between fiber wax content
and measured ends down in spinning.

Fiber micronaire highly influences the quantity of non-

cellulosic ethyl alcohol extractables, wax, fiber ash res-
properties and contents of specific nonfibrous materials idues, potassium concentration on the fibers and carding
to determine any potential effects each may have on sliver f/m and f/f processing friction. Increases in fiber
spinning performance and efficiency. yellowness and grayness correlate with increases in po-
JANUARY 2005
tassium. As iron content increases, fiber yellowness also
increases. Higher levels of magnesium correlate with
higher grayness measurements.
There are several significant correlations between lev-
els of nonfibrous materials and yarn production perfor-
mance. For example, increases in yarn single strand
strengths in all three spinning systems correlate with
increases in fiber alcohol surface extractions, wax con-
centrations, and total light metal content. The tendency
for ends down to increase in ring and open-end spinning
and decrease in vortex spinning is related to increasing
quantities of total fiber alcohol surface extractables, wax
content, and total light metal content. Evenness neps and
thick and thin places tend to decrease in ring and open-
end and increase in vortex spinning as total surface
extractables, wax, and total light metal content increase.
This study consists of a variety cottons of from different
domestic growing areas. Despite the significant influence
of micronaire, the potential for nonfibrous materials to
influence yarn production efficiency, performance, and
quality is apparent. Overall impacts depend on levels
often dictated by variables such as growth area, micro-
naire, field weathering history, and harvesting and gin-
ning practices. It is also clear, from this study that the
influences nonfibrous materials on raw cottons have on
finished yarn quality may also depend on the spinning
system used.
5
Literature Cited
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Importance to the Cotton Industry, Cotton Gin Oil Mill
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Variety, Area of Growth, and Other Factors, in “Proc. Belt-
wide Cotton Conferences,” National Cotton Council, Mem-
phis, TN, 1992, pp. 1454 –1456.
3. Brushwood, D. E., and Perkins, H. H. Jr., Determining the
Metal Content of Cotton, Textile Chem. Color. 26 (3) 32–35
(1994).
4. Carter, F. L., Sticky Cotton — Problems, Causes, and Man-
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Cotton Council, Memphis, TN, 1990, pp. 34 –36.
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Manuscript received October 10, 2003; accepted January 30, 2004.