Analysis of the nature of multi-component fiber blending

In this study, the author analyzed the complex nature of multi-component fiber blending through detailed experimental analyses and theoretical treatments of the different modes of fiber blending.; Fiber blends produced on the Rotor-Ring system were analyzed to determine the extents of structural, attributive and appearance blending.; The results of the experimental analyses introduced above can be summarized as follows: (1) Two-component and multiple-component blending analysis can be performed using an m x k blending matrix in which the m rows describe the values of different fiber attributes and k columns describe the different components in the blend. At each blend ratio, the outcome of the blend can be described by a column vector matrix indicating the resultant values of different fiber attributes in the blend. (2) Blending profiles were developed to fully describe the effects of blending on different fiber characteristics. (3) With regard to attributive and structural blending, predictable blending patterns are those which provide intermediate attributive effects at different blend ratios. (4) In this study, deviation from ideal structural blending was observed when fibers of significantly different fineness were blended. (5) Bi-modal distributions of fiber characteristics of blended fibers were observed. This trend was attributed to a significant difference of fiber length between the blended components. (6) Blending propensity measured by torque profiling reveal critical information that complement the understanding of the nature of fiber blending. (7) Situations in which blended fibers exhibit characteristics that are fully biased to only one component of the blend can be attributed in the context of the blending propensity of fibers. (8) Image analysis provides a new analytical tool of fiber blending. Using this analysis, it is possible to predict the appearance blending at different blend ratios.; In addition to the experimental analyses introduced above, theoretical analyses of mono-blending (blend components of the same type) and multiple-components were performed. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...