Indian Journal of Fibre & Textile Research

Vol 43, December 2018, pp. 410-414

Comparison of fibre migration in different yarn bodies

Jing Yang1, Bojun Xu1, a, Chunping Xie1 & Xinjin Liu2
1
Key Laboratory of Eco-Textiles, Jiangnan University, Jiangsu, Wuxi 214l22, China
2
Jiangsu Silk Limited by Share Ltd, Jiangsu Suqian 223700, China

Received 24 December 2016; revised received and accepted 13 April 2017

The qualities of yarn have been studied by analyzing the fibre migration in the yarn body. The effects of spinning method
and raw fibre property on fibre migration have been studied using the tracer fibre technique. Compact-spun (60s Ne),
ring-spun (60s and 10s Ne) and rotor-spun (10s Ne) (cotton) yarns have been prepared. However, for the compact-spun
yarns, both pure cotton and polyester/cotton blended yarns have been prepared. Two mixing steps have been used, namely
(i) the dyed cotton fibre mass is homogeneously mixed with the undyed cotton fibre mass by hand, and (ii) the mixed fibre
agglomerates are then subjected to carding to obtain a more uniform mixture. Finally, five sets of yarns are obtained through
the consequent spinning process. Fibre measuring system is used to watch the movement of tracer fibres and to get the
migration parameters as well as their envelope lines. The results show that the fibre migration of the ring spinning yarn is
the most obvious, followed by the compact spinning yarn. The rotor spinning yarn has so many wrapped structures that the
fibre migration is not obvious. Polyester/cotton blended yarn, which has better yarn levelness, higher breaking strength and
less hairiness, shows higher degree of fibre migration than the yarn made of pure cotton.

Keywords: Compact spinning, Cotton, Fibre migration, Ring spinning, Rotor spinning, Tracer fibre, Polyester/cotton

1 Introduction considered second most in cotton yarn production,

Since a long time, the traditional ring spinning following ring spinning.
technology has some obvious shortcomings. One of In the early 1950s, Morton and Yen7 introduced
these defects is the twist triangle area in front "migration" to denote changes in the position
of the front roller jaws, making these fibres to bear of a single fibre along the length of a yarn.
inhomogenous force in the twisting process. The They also defined the "coefficient of migration"
emergence of compact spinning technology, however, (a dimensionless quantity) to express the degree of
provides an effective way to reduce or even eliminate fibre migration according to a radial distance over a
the twist triangle area1. Compact spinning technology yarn length8. They first observed the fibres migration
is one of the most important new methods of in the yarn body utilising tracer fibre technology.
spinning, implemented by adding a fibre-converging Under the condition that the dyed fibre properties are
device in front of the drafting system on a ring consistent with the undyed fibre properties, tracer
spinning frame. The yarn structure and quality have fibre technology causes mixing of less than 1% of the
improved since the fibre tension distribution in the dyed fibre with undyed fibre for spinning. The spun
spinning triangle is more uniform2-4. Actually, yarn is then dipped into a liquid having the same
compact spinning, where the fibres are compressed, is refractive index as that of the undyed fibre. At this
a modification of conventional ring spinning, thus time, since the undyed fibre has the same refractive
producing a superior quality yarn5,6. index as the liquid, it exhibits transparent color,
Rotor spinning technology, also known as the air whereby the dyed fibre is visibly noticeable. The dyed
spinning technology, is relatively a novel type of fibres are called tracer fibres.
open-end spinning technology. This technology has As is known, the changes in fibre feature,
the advantage of high production efficiency, short arrangement and distribution in yarn cause the change
process flow, good working environment and high in yarn structure, consequently changing the yarn
degree of automation. At present, rotor spinning is appearance characteristic and inherent quality.
According to previous studies9-12, section-slicing
——————
a
Corresponding author. technology, tracer fibre technology and image
E-mail: wxxbj@[Link] processing can also be used to study the arrangement
 YANG et al.: COMPARISON OF FIBRE MIGRATION IN DIFFERENT YARN BODIES 411

and distribution of fibre in yarn. In this work, tracer polynaphthalene sulphonic acid) (1g/L), ammonium
fibre technology was to study the fibre migration in dihydrogen phosphate (2g/L), acetic acid (0.5g/L),
yarns, spun by three spinning methods and using sodium hydrosulfite (2g/L), caustic soda (2g/L), bath-
different raw fibre materials. The YG002C fibre ratio 1:50, and pH 5 – 6 were used for the experiment.
system was used to observe and collect relevant data. The prepared tracer fibre was mixed evenly in the
Then, the migration coefficient of fibres is calculated. ratio of 0.8% with polyester fibre and the polyester-
This helped in establishing the relationship between cotton standard fibre. Then, the mixed fibre groups in
yarn quality and fibre migration. proper order were allowed to go through carding, first
Since there is not much research available on the passage drawframe, second passage drawframe, roving
comparison of fibre migration in three types of spinning and compact spinning (QFA1528 type machine).
methods, this work intends to give more practical 2.3 Yarn Property
experiments and theoretical analysis, thus enhancing the The properties and quality of yarns produced from
fundamental understanding of the relationship between different spinning systems are shown in Table 2. Test
fibre migration and yarn properties. equipments such as automatic single yarn strength
tester YG-068C; Uster Zweigle HL400 hairiness
2 Materials and Methods tester of Switzerland; Uster Tester-5S800 Evenness
The parameters of cotton and polyester staple
tester of Switzerland, were used.
fibres are shown in Table 1.
Test environmental conditions such as temperature
2.1 Preparation of Cotton Yarn of 21°C ± 2°C and a relative humidity of 65 ± 3%,
Cotton (5g), reactive dye (0.4g), salt (7.5g), alkali were used. Before testing, those yarns should be
(2.5g) and water (250mL) were used. placed in this condition for more than 24h to balance
The prepared tracer fibres were mixed evenly with them.
the standard cotton fibres with a ratio of 0.8%. Then, the Spinning conditions for these five sets of yarn, like
mixed fibre group sequentially went through carding, twist and draft and some others, were in equivalent.
first passage drawframe and second passage drawframe,
and finally shaped into drawn sliver. One part of these 3 Results and Discussion
drawn slivers was directly spun into rotor yarns by rotor By connecting the crest points or trough points on
spinning device (F1604 rotor device); and the remaining one tracer fibre helical path into one line, we can
part of these drawn slivers was allowed to go through observe fibre migration in the yarns, as applied by
roving device and spinning device. Finally, these were many researchers before13. This line is named fibre
spun into compact yarns and ring yarns using compact helix route's envelope, which is also the migration
spinning device (QFA1528) and traditional ring curve line needed in this study.
spinning device (FA507B) respectively. 3.1 Fibre Migration Parameters
2.2 Preparation for Polyester/Cotton Blended Yarn 3.1.1 Calculation Methods
Disperse black dye with a ratio of 2% (with respect Three fibre migration parameters are mainly
to the fabric), spreading agent NNO (sodium salt of calculated, viz (i) the average radial distance relative

Table 1 — Performance parameters of raw fibre materials

Fibre Length, mm Degree of fineness Elongation at Strength Work of fracture Breaking strength
dtex break, % cN uJ cN/tex
Cotton 31 1.65 8.57 5.12 26.05 31
Polyester 38 1.33 13.32 6.31 46.20 47
Table 2 — Properties and quality of five sets of yarn
Yarn Coefficient of Hairiness Breaking tenacity Tensile strength Elongation at
variation (CV%) (≥3mm) cN/tex cN break, %
Polyester/cotton-blended compact 12.68 84 21.00 207.86 9.02
spun yarns (60s)
Pure cotton compact spun yarns (60s) 13.27 101 14.54 151.22 5.60
Ring spun yarns (60s) 13.74 183 10.88 101.18 4.42
Ring spun yarns (10s) 14.13 198 16.51 997.01 7.67
Rotor spun yarns (10s) 14.21 177 13.59 815.71 7.42
412 INDIAN J. FIBRE TEXT. RES., DECEMBER 2018

—
to yarn central axis for one tracer fibre envelope (Y), calculation method, values of Y, D and MD are
(ii) the coverage area relative to baseline for one calculated for different yarns (Table 3).
tracer fibre envelope, namely disperse extent, 3.1.3 Results Analysis
represented by standard deviation (D), and (iii) It has already been believed7,8 that there are mainly
migration coefficient (MD). Specific calculation two forms of migration within the yarn, viz geometric
measures are as follows: migration and tension migration. Since different yarn-
Assume making systems were applied in this study, the tension
migration mechanism is the main reason for fibre
Y （r / R）2 … (1) migration rather than the geometric migration

Y 
Y … (2)
mechanism.
n Table 3 shows that the fibre migration degree in
compact spun yarn is lower than that in ring spun yarn
where r is the radial distance from one crest point of by 5.6%, whereas in rotor spun yarn, it is reduced by
one tracer fibre helical path to yarn central axis of this 1.2% as compared to that in the ring spinning yarn. This
crest point; R, the yarn radius at this crest point; Z, the is mainly because there are agglomeration effects at the
yarn central axis; and n, the amount of tested crest front jaw during compact spinning. The reduction in size
points on the yarn Z-axis direction. of spinning triangle and its consequence in the tension
Then gradient kick up the lower degree of migration in
1 compact-spun yarn than in ring-spun yarn. Table 2 also
 （Y  Y ）2  2 shows that the compact-spun yarn has higher yarn
D  … (3)
 n  strength than ring-spun yarn. This is because higher
packing density coupled with better integration of fibres
MD  D / Y … (4)
into the yarn body generates higher yarn strength.
3.1.2 Measurement However, rotor spinning has its own special spinning
Before using video microscope to observe fibre way, in which drawn slivers are directly made into
migration, the yarn should get steeping treatment first. needed yarns without going through roving procedure.
Based on the theory of different light absorption Owing to its special spinning way, rotor spun yarn has a
abilities of different colors of fibres, the tested special structure, core fibres inside and wrapping fibres
yarn should be steeped into turpentine and outside. Therefore, rotor spinning has special fibre
bromonaphthalene solution, making sure that the migration.
refractive index of the unstained fibre is the same as Under certain conditions, migration of polyester
the solution. By doing that, the unstained yarn will fibre in polyester-cotton blended yarn is little more
show a transparent color in the video microscope, and conspicuous than cotton fibre in pure cotton yarn,
the tracer fibres can be observed clearly. Thirty (30) almost larger by 0.3%. This is mainly because
tracer fibres out of one kind of yarn were observed at polyester fibre is longer than cotton fibre, which
random by the microscope.
Figure 1 shows the morphological characteristics of
tracer fibres and their own relative yarns. The black
fibre in the yarn is the tracer fibre. and magnification
is ×100 times.
In this study, the average distance from the crest
point to the yarn central axis is used. According to the Fig. 1 — Images of five sets of yarn with tracer fibre

Table 3 — Migration parameters of five sets of fibre

Yarn Average relative radial position Standard deviation Migration coefficient
—
(Y) (D) (MD)
Polyester/cotton blended compact spun yarns (60s) 0.216 0.194 0.940
Pure cotton compact spun yarns (60s) 0.237 0.222 0.937
Ring spun yarns (60s) 0.221 0.219 0.989
Ring spun yarns (10s) 0.250 0.896 0.896
Rotor spun yarns (10s) 0.261 0.231 0.885
 YANG et al.: COMPARISON OF FIBRE MIGRATION IN DIFFERENT YARN BODIES 413

makes more fibres interaction during spinning. At the It is observed that polyester-cotton blended yarn
same time, polyester fibre is finer than cotton fibre, has more concentrated peak points distribution, and
which makes it easier to transfer by force. the average radial position of tracer polyester fibre is
3.2 Fibre Envelope Line smaller. These can be explained by two reasons. The
Fibre envelope line can also be applied as first reason is that being longer fibre, polyester fibre
characterization of fibre migration. Fibre envelope refers will get in touch with more surrounding fibres, thus
to one line, connecting peak points or trough points on leading to get stronger force from surroundings. So,
fibre helical path. Fibre envelop lines in different when being twisted, polyester fibre tends to move
spinning methods are shown in Fig. 2, where abscissa towards the inner side of one yarn. Instead, shorter
represents coordinate value of peak point on the tracer fibre, like ordinary cotton fibre, prefers to the outside.
fibre helical path. The line is drawn by connecting The second reason is that the thicker fibre is stiffer,
20 peak points at random on one tracer fibre. possessing greater resistance when moving. So,

Fig. 2 — Fibre helix envelope lines of (a) polyester-cotton blended yarn (60s), (b) compact spun yarn (60s), (c) ring spun yarn (60s),
(d) ring spun yarn (10s) and (e) rotor spun yarn (10s)
414 INDIAN J. FIBRE TEXT. RES., DECEMBER 2018

thicker fibre, like ordinary cotton fibre, prefers to stay than that of cotton fibre in pure cotton yarn, and most
the outer side of one yarn instead of moving towards of them are distributed in the center of yarn. Based on
the inner side when getting twisted by force. this feature, blended yarn can respectively utilize
As is known, compact spinning technology refers synthetic fibre and natural fibre as main inner fibre
to reduce the width of sliver at twisting triangle area and outer edge fibre in yarn. The former fibre has
when sliver passes through the front roller, which excellent physical and mechanical properties, and
contributes to a closer distance between fibres or fibre natural fibre has better appearance conditions and
groups, thus facilitating the interaction between higher feel-comfort level. By taking into account
fibres. Hence, in compact spinning, fibre migration excellent performance of both kinds of fibres, the best
phenomenon is less obvious than that in ring spinning. quality characteristics of blended yarn can be
Within the rotor spinning cup, one end of fibre produced.
bundle must be held by the cup wall, and the other
end would get whirly twisting, thus being made into Acknowledgement
yarn in a free-end way. During this special yarn- Authors acknowledge with thanks the financial
making system proceeding, the fibre bundle hardly support by National Natural Science Foundation of
goes through one process where sliver width is larger China (No. 11102072), Natural Science Foundation of
than yarn diameter, which is common phenomenon Jiangsu Province (No. BK2012254), Prospective
for fibre bundle in ring spinning system. Therefore, industry-university-research project of Jiangsu Province
fibre motion in rotor spinning is more stable than that (No. BY2012065) and Fundamental Research Funds for
in ring spinning. Moreover, drawn sliver does not the Central Universities (No. JUSRP51301A).
need to enter roving process, and instead, it goes into
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