Evaluation of Textile Materials
Pilling Testing and Abrasion Testing
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Pilling
üIt is a fabric surface fault characterized
by little pills of entangled fibre clinging to
the cloth surface and giving the garment
an unsightly appearance.
üFormed by rubbing action on loose fibres
which are present on the fabric surface
üStronger fibre component in the blend
aggravated its seriousness
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Pilling
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Pilling
üHigher breaking strength and lower
bending stiffness results more pill.
üLow twist factor, higher hairiness and
loose fabric structure results easy and
large pills (knitwear).
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Pilling
üPilling is mainly due to fibres with very
high “lateral strength” or “bending strength”
or “low brittleness”
ØHigh “lateral strength” may be
advantageous in some applications like
technical textiles, floor covering.
ØHowever, the pilling tendency also
increases, so in the apparel sector low lateral
strength is preferable. Particularly in knitted
goods.
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Pilling
üPolyester fibres are deliberately made brittle
for use in knitted products to avoid pilling
(anti-pilling types)
üPills do not form where fibres with low
lateral strength are used (wool, anti-pill man-
made fibres). They can easily be scrubbed off.
üBut fibres with “high lateral strength” will
have higher pilling tendency
üPilling resistance and durability are
inversely related
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Pilling Measurement
a) Objective method :
ü Counting the number of pills or by
removing the pills and weighting them
üTime consuming
üAlso does not take into account the
degree of colour contrast with the
ground
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Pilling Measurement
b) Subjective method:
üBy comparing it with either standard
sample
üOr, with photograph or by the use of a
written scale of severity
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Grading
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Pilling Measurement
ü ICI pilling box
ü Random tumbling pilling test
ü Pilling test by Martindale Abrasion
Tester
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Pilling Measurement
ICI Pilling box
ü 4 specimens (125 mm ´ 125 mm) are cut
from fabric (2 for warp 2 for weft).
ü Stitched face to face and turned inside out.
ü The fabric tubes are then mounted on
rubber tubes.
ü The loose ends taped with PVC tape.
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Pilling Measurement
ICI Pilling box
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ICI Pilling box
üAll the four samples are then tumbled together
in a cork-lined box (9² ´ 9² ´ 9²) and allowed for
certain revolution cycle
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Pilling Measurement
ICI Pilling box
üThe specimens are taken out and removed
from rubber tube and rated
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Pilling Measurement
Random tumbling pilling test
üA random tumbling motion produced by
tumbling specimen in a cylindrical test
chamber lined with mildly abrasive material
üTo resemble the pills those with actual
wear, small amount of cotton lint are added
ü3 specimen of 105 mm´105 mm are cut an
angle 45º to length and edges are sealed
with rubber adhesive
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Random tumbling pilling test
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Pilling Measurement
Random tumbling pilling test
üAll these samples along with cotton lint are
tumbled in the test chamber
üAfter certain time the fabric samples are
assessed
üThe number and timing of the cycles
depends on type of fabric being tested and
would be laid down in the relevant
specification.
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Pilling Measurement
Martindale Abrasion Tester
üThe specimens are mounted on large
(bottom) and small (top) specimen holder.
üThen rubbed against each other (same
sample)
2
üTwo pressures are used : 2.5 cN/cm for
2
knitted fabric and 6.5 cN/cm for woven &
upholstery fabric
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Pilling Measurement
Martindale Abrasion Tester
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Pilling Measurement
Martindale Abrasion Tester
üIn place of standard abradant (as in case of
rubbing test), the fabric sample is placed in
the lower holder
üIf the degree of pilling is different on the
upper and lower holder, the upper specimen
is assessed
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Abrasion Testing
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Abrasion Resistance
ü Abrasion is the rubbing away of the
component fibres and yarns of the fabric
Abrasion is of three type,
ü Plain or flat abrasion - A flat area of
material is abraded
ü Edge abrasion - Kind of abrasion occurs
at collars & folds
ü Flex abrasion - Rubbing is accompanied
by flexing and bending
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Factor Affecting Abrasion
a. Fibre type
ü High elongation, elastic recovery and work
of rupture are considered to be more
important factors. (Nylon, Polyester etc. )
ü Blending of nylon or polyester with wool or
cotton improves abrasion resistance
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Factor Affecting Abrasion
b. Fibre properties
ü Longer fibres into fabric confer better
abrasion resistance, because they are
harder to remove from yarn
ü Fibre diameter also plays an important
role
- lower fibre diameter (chances of fibre
damage, so lower abrasion resistance)
- higher fibre diameter (less no. of fibres
in X-section, so again lower abrasion
resistance) 24
Factor Affecting Abrasion
c. Yarn twist
ü Optimum twist increase the abrasion
resistance.
ü At low twist fibres can come out, and
ü At high twist more abrasion due to stiffer
yarn
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Factor Affecting Abrasion
d. Fabric structure
ü If one set of yarn is predominantly on the
surface then this set will wear most
ü Relative mobility of floats helps to
absorb the stress
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Factor Affecting Abrasion Test Result
a.Type of abrasion : Plain, flex or edge
abrasion or combination.
b.Type of abradant : Standard fabric, steel
plates, abrasive paper or stones -
selected based on actual use.
c.Pressure : Higher pressure means more
abrasion
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Factor Affecting Abrasion Test Result
d.Speed of abrasion: A rise in temperature
of sample can occur with high rubbing
speeds, which can affect the fibre
properties (thermoplastic fibres)
e.Tension : At higher tension abrasion is
more.
f. Direction: Unidirectional or
multidirectional
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Abrasion
Method of Assessment : Two approaches are
there
a.Abrade the sample until a predetermined
end point, (e.g. a hole) and record the time
on number of cycles.
b.Abrade for a set time or number of cycles
and then assess some aspects of the
abraded fabric, (e.g. change in appearances,
loss of mass, change in thickness, loss of
strength etc.)
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Abrasion: Methods of Measurement
a. Martindale abrasion tester:
ü Four specimens (38 mm dia) are mounted in
the specimen holder
ü The sample is abraded against standard
abradant under standard load
ü A complex motion (resultant of two S.H.M.
at right angle to one another) is given to the
specimen holder
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Abrasion: Methods of Measurement
a. Martindale abrasion tester:
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a. Martindale abrasion tester:
Assessment of test results:
ü No. of cycles are noted when two threads
are broken.
ü The specimen is examined at suitable
intervals.
ü If likely failure point is known, then first
inspection can be made at 60% of that
value.
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a. Martindale abrasion tester:
Assessment of test results:
ü Average rate of loss in mass
- Total 8 specimens
- 2 specimens abraded up to two
thread break
- Other pairs are abraded up to 25%, 50%
& 75% of the above
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a. Martindale abrasion tester:
Assessment of test results:
ü Average loss in mass can be measured and
from a plot of loss in Mass vs. No. of cycle
(to get loss in mass in mg/1000 rubs)
ü For hosiery fabrics, a flattened rubber ball is
pushed through the sample as the holder is
tightened, thus stretching it.
ü Tested at 12 kPa till hole appears
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b. Accelerotor abrasion tester:
ü The fabric specimen is driven by rotor
inside a circular chamber lined with an
abrasive cloth
ü The sample suffers abrasion by rubbing
against itself as well as the liner
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b. Accelerotor abrasion tester:
Evaluation is made by,
(i) weight loss, and (ii) loss in grab strength
(i) Weight loss
2
ü Size of specimen depends on g/m
ü After abrasion the specimen is taken out
and any loose debris are removed and
then weighed
ü % loss in wt. is calculated.
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(ii) loss in grab strength
ü 100 mm ´ 300 mm specimen size
ü Cut in two pieces of 100 mm´150 mm
ü Folded 50 mm from short edge and
stitched to have 100 mm ´ 100 mm
specimen size
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b. Accelerotor abrasion tester:
(ii) loss in grab strength
ü Folded edge is abraded
ü After abrasion the stitch is removed and the
grab strength is measured
ü Compared with the sample without abrasion
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Thank You
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