1. BURN TESTS
Procedure: Cut a small sample of textile fiber and holding it in a
tweezer or forceps cautiously ignite with a matchstick or lighter. Observe
the sample carefully, because each fiber type will burn in a specific way,
producing different colored smake, a particular smell and leaving its own
kind of residue. To match your findings with the correct fiber compare with
the chart below.
|
FIBER
|
Performance
at flame
|
Odor
|
Residue
|
||
|
Approach
to flame |
In
the flame |
Withdrawn
from flame |
|||
|
SILK
|
Shrinks
away |
Burns
slowly |
Self
extinguishing |
Burning
hair |
Brittle, swollen,
black ash |
|
WOOL
|
Shrinks
away |
Burns
slowly |
Self
extinguishing |
Burning
hair |
Brittle, swollen,
black ash |
|
COTTON
|
No
effect |
Burns
readily |
Continues
to burn |
Burning
paper |
Gray
skeletal ash |
|
NYLON
|
Shrinks
away |
Burns slowly
and melts |
Often self
extinguishing |
Celery
Sometimes perceptible |
Hard light
colored bead |
|
ACRYLIC
|
Shrinks
away |
Burns slowly
and melts |
Continues to
burn and melt |
Acrid
|
Brittle black
bead |
|
POLYPROPYLENE
(OLEFIN) |
Shrinks
quickly |
Burns
and melts |
Burns
and melt |
Not defined
|
Hard, round
bead, maybe light brown |
|
Acetone 100%
|
Hydrochloric acid 20%
|
Sulfuric acid 60%
|
Sulfuric acid 70%
|
Chlorine bleach 5%
|
Formic acid 90%
|
|
|
ACETATE
|
Soluble
|
Insoluble
|
Soluble
|
Soluble
|
Insoluble
|
Soluble
|
|
ACRYLIC
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
depending on type |
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
|
COTTON
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
Slightly soluble
|
Soluble
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
|
HAIR
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
Soluble
|
Insoluble
|
|
HEMP
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
Slightly soluble
|
Soluble
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
|
LINEN
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
Slightly soluble
|
Soluble
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
|
MODARYLIC
|
Soluble or Insoluble
depending on type |
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
|
NYLON
|
Insoluble
|
Soluble
|
Soluble
|
Soluble
|
Insoluble
|
Soluble
|
|
OLEFIN
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
|
POLYESTER
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
|
RAMIE
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
Slightly soluble
|
Soluble
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
|
RAYON
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
Soluble
|
Soluble
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
|
SILK
|
Insoluble
|
Partially Soluble
|
Soluble
|
Soluble
|
Soluble
|
Partially soluble
|
|
Wool
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
Insoluble
|
Soluble
|
Insoluble
|
|
Natural Fibers
|
Density
g/cc |
Melting Point
Degree C (Degree F) |
|
CELLULOSE
|
1.51
|
None
|
|
SILK
|
1.32-1.34
|
None
|
|
WOOL & OTHER HAIR
|
1.15-1.30
|
None
|
|
Man-Made Fibers
|
||
|
ACETATE, secondary
|
1.32
|
260 (500)
|
|
ACETATE, tri.
|
1.30
|
288 (550.4)
|
|
ACRYLIC
|
1.12-1.19
|
None
|
|
MODACRYLIC
|
1.30 or 1.36
|
188(370.4 not sharp) or 120(248)
|
|
NYLON 6
|
1.12-1.15
|
213-225(415.4-437)
|
|
NYLON 66
|
1.12-1.15
|
256-265(492.8-509)
|
|
POLYESTER
|
1.38 or 1.23
|
250-260(482-500) or 282(539.6 )
|
|
POLYPROPYLENE
|
0.90-0.92
|
170(338)
|
|
RAYON
|
1.51
|
None
|