DAFFODIL INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, VOLUME 15, ISSUE 2, July 2020

ISSN 1818-5878 (Print) 2408-8498 (Online)

OPTIMIZATION OF POLYESTER-FLAX BLEND RATIO FOR

QUALITY YARN PRODUCTION
* Md. Mashud Raihan1 and Hosne Ara Begum2
1
Department of Textile Engineering, Daffodil International University
2
Department of Yarn Engineering, Bangladesh University of Textiles
Email: masudraihan@daffodilvarsity.edu.bd

Abstract: Generally yarn properties can be altered component arrangement can be distinguished a)
through blending of fibers and required properties can Homogeneous blend b) Radical blend c) Sectorial
be achieved by using specific blending ratios. Polyester blend d) Segmental blend [8].The mass per unit
and flax blended yarn is very important in regard to length variation due to variation in fiber assembly is
both spinning performance and product quality. In this
generally known "Unevenness" (in practice the U%
study polyester fiber was taken as a blending component
with flax fiber. Flax and polyester have been a new value).The hairiness, H corresponds to the total length
blend now-a-days and depicts excellent properties than of protruding fibers divided by the length of the
their individual yarn properties. Different proportion of sensor of 1 cm. It is quality parameters of yarn.
flax and polyester has been tested by maintaining Imperfection means the total number of deviations,
international standards to observe their yarn properties positive or negative, from the normal mass of a
and it is found that polyester was perfectly compatible certain length of yarn [9].
with low proportion of flax fiber. Their blends with
specific ratios exhibit excellent properties which hence
ultimately contribute to the fabric properties. 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS

Keywords: Polyester, flax, blend ratio and yarn quality A. Materials

To produce polyester-flax blended yarn in ring
1. INTRODUCTION spinning process polyester and flax fibers were taken.
Polyester and flax is available in different forms but
Flax is one of the oldest textile fibers used by in this work staple polyester fiber and cottonized flax
mankind has unparalleled characteristics such as a fiber were taken.
feel of freshness and a magnificent brilliance [1]. It is
very hygienic and imparts an air of satisfaction and 1) HVI report of flax and polyester fiber
style to the wearer [2]. Polyester fiber which is one of The HVI report of flax and polyester fiber are given
the most preferred among manmade fibers is widely in table 1
used both alone and blend with other fibers [3]. Table 1: HVI report of flax and polyester fiber
Blending or mixing of natural and manmade fibers
Fiber fineness

Length (mm)

has been practiced for many years, but recently it has

properties

Maturity

Strength

C Grade
Elg. (%)
(Denier)

(cN/tex)

Moist.
Fiber

Unf.
SCI

“+b
drawn a great attention from textile manufacturers [4].
SFI

Rd

It is now common practice to blend binary (two) or

multiple (more) fibers together in order to produce
yarns or fabrics with the required properties and end
32.95

47.27
fiber
Flax

use [5]. Blended yarns from natural and man-made

85-5
2.57

1.09

71.1

13.5

43.1

14.0
2.1
91

fibers have the particular advantage of successfully

combining the good properties of both fiber
Polyeste
r fiber

components, such as comfort of wear with easy care

1.4

38

40

15
-

properties. These advantages also permit an increased

variety of products to be made, and yield a stronger
marketing advantage [6]. Blend evenness can be
measured in two ways. One is evenness in the B. Methods
In the thesis work polyester and flax fiber were used
longitudinal direction and another is evenness in the
to produce polyester-flax blended yarn. After
cross-section. Very stringent requirements are placed
conditioning, flax fiber was used for blending. The
upon the blend evenness in the longitudinal direction.
Deviations outside predetermined limits lead to recipe of emulsion for conditioning of flax fiber is
uneven fabric appearance, strips, bars etc.[7]. In giving below.
Water : 99.88 %
relation to the yarn cross-section, four types of

Copyright © 2020 Daffodil International University. All rights reserved. 1

 DAFFODIL INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, VOLUME 15, ISSUE 2, July 2020
ISSN 1818-5878 (Print) 2408-8498 (Online)

Softener : 0.12%
31
In this research work, 20 kgs of flax fiber was taken
and 15% emulsion is applied on the weight of flax 29 20

Single yarn strength in cN/Tex

fiber. Then flax fiber is covered by heavy fabric on 20 Ne
27
hours for final conditioning. It has to be designed that, 24
Ne
polyester and flax fiber are mixed in to four ratios and 25
26
the ratios were polyester: flax = 95:05, 90:10, 80:20 Ne
23
and 70:30 designated as 95P/05F, 90P/10F, 80P/20F 30
and 70P/30F.For this research work, blow room 21 Ne
blending is used by maintaining blow room 19
machineries. For sliver and roving hank, 69 grain per
yard and 0.90Ne is to be produced to fulfill the 17
requirements. Finally it has produced four different 15
counts of yarn for individual ratio and that’s were 20, 95/05 90/10 80/20 70/30
24, 26 and 30 Ne by using Ring spinning machine. Blend Ratio
For setting twist, 3.75 twist multiplier (TM) was used.
Required and actual blend ratios, yarn count and TPI (a)
are shown in table 2 14

Elongation%
20
Table : 2 Required and actual blend ratios, yarn count 13 Ne
and TPI 24
12
Ne
11 26
Ne
Required Actual Required Actual 10
Required Actual 30
blend blend count count Ne
TPI TPI
ratios ratios (Ne) (Ne) 9
8
95:05 93.4:6.6 20 19.99 16.76 18.73 95/05 90/10 80/20 70/30
Blend Ratio

90:10 88.2:11.8 24 24.02 18.37 20.71

(b)
80:20 80.8:19.2 26 25.86 19.12 21.72 Fig. 1. (a)
Single yarn strength (b) Elongation% for
polyester-flax blend yarns
70:30 67.4:32.6 30 29.97 20.54 22.21
From figure1, it can be said that, in 95/05 and 90/10
P-F blend ratio shows higher result as compared to
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION other blend ratios. Homogeneous blends were
occurred in 95/05 and 90/10 PF blend ratios. Fiber
Yarn quality parameters were measured by using length variation could be the problem to reduce
Wrap Reel, Uster Tester- 5, Twist Tester, Titan strength. The loss of strength in the blended yarn is
Universal Yarn Testing Equipment and Lea Strength attributed to the differences in the breaking elongation
Tester. By maintaining international standards, yarns of the constituent fibres. This may cause to deteriorate
are tested to get the actual result. the result for higher percentage of flax fiber is used in
P-F blend yarns. So it can be said that, low flax
3.1 Effects of blend ratios on single yarn strength percentage in P-F blend ratio may providing better
and yarn elongation% yarn strength and elongation.
Single yarn strength and yarn elongation were tested
by Standard-ASTM D2256. The test results are shown 3.2 Effect of blend ratios on Count Strength
in figure 1. Product (CSP)
In this research work, bundle yarn strength is
expressed as CSP method. The test results of CSP
values are shown in figure 2

Copyright © 2020 Daffodil International University. All rights reserved. 2

 DAFFODIL INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, VOLUME 15, ISSUE 2, July 2020
ISSN 1818-5878 (Print) 2408-8498 (Online)

In figure 3, it is observed that, Unevenness (U %) has

6000 gradually increased with the increase of flax fiber
20 Ne
content in the yarn. Yarn evenness largely depends on
5500 24 Ne the number of fibers in the yarn cross-section. Also
26 Ne length variation may be the major reasons for yarn
5000
unevenness. So it can be said that, if less flax
CSP Value

30 Ne percentage is used in P-F blend ratio may delivering

4500
better yarn U%.
4000
3.4 Effect of blend ratios on yarn hairiness
3500
Hairiness, H corresponds to the total length of
95/05 90/10 80/20 70/30
protruding fibers divided by the length of the sensor
Blend Ratio
of 1 cm. It is also quality parameters of yarn. Testing
F
speed were 400 m/min using the S800 model. The test
ig. 2. CSP of different polyester-flax blend yarns
results are putting in figure 4
From the figure 2, the values of yarn CSP has been
reduced with the increase of flax amount in polyester-
flax blends. In this experiment, it can be said that,
90/10 blend ratio is providing better yarn strength.
This may be occurred due to homogeneous blending
is arranged in 90/10 blend ratio as compared to other
blend ratios. After increasing of flax percentage in P-
F blend ratio, yarn strength is gradually reduced. So it
can be said that, in 90/10 P-F blend ratio may
providing better CSP of yarn. By using this said
system the spinning mills will be able to produce
better quality blend yarn in an economic way [5].
Fig. 4. Hairiness values of different polyester-flax
blend yarns
3.3 Effect of blend ratios on yarn unevenness%
From the figure 4, 95/05 P-F blend ratio showed
higher result. These curves gradually rose with the
The polyester/flax-blended yarns are tested on a
increased of flax amount in polyester- flax blends.
laboratory-type machine in standard atmospheric
This may be due to the variation in profile of two
conditions (20±2°C temp. and 65±2% relative
fibers. The diameter of flax fiber is not uniform across
humidity), testing speed at 400 m/min using S800
its length unlike polyester fiber. Coarser yarns have
model. The test results are displayed in figure 3
more hairiness than finer one, because of higher
number of fibers in cross-section which leads to
23 higher number of protruding ends of fibers in the yarn
surface. So it can be said that, 95/05 blend ratio may
21
showing low level of yarn hairiness.
19
17 3.5 Effect of blend ratios on Yarn Imperfections
20 Ne
U%

Yarn imperfections (Thick place +50%, Thin place -

15 24 Ne 40% and Neps +200%) were tested by Uster Tester 5
13 26 Ne – S800. From the report, the values are summarized in
11 30 Ne
the figure 5
9
95/05 90/10 80/20 70/30

Blend ratio

Fig. 3. Yarn
unevenness% of different polyester-flax
blend yarns.

Copyright © 2020 Daffodil International University. All rights reserved. 3

 DAFFODIL INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, VOLUME 15, ISSUE 2, July 2020
ISSN 1818-5878 (Print) 2408-8498 (Online)

 Production of finer yarn in polyester flax

blended yarn.
 Increase of higher percentage of flax fiber in
polyester-flax blended yarn.
 Quality optimization of flax and other fibers
in different ratios.
 Manufacturing of100% spun flax yarn from
flax staple fiber.
7. ACKNOWLEDGMENT
"I write on behalf of myself and all co-authors to
Fig. 5.Yarn imperfections of different polyester-flax
confirm that the results reported in the manuscript are
blend yarns
original and neither the entire work, nor any of its
In figure 5, it is said that in 95/05 P-F blend ratio, the
parts have been previously published. The authors
values of yarn imperfection showed low value and its
confirm that the article has not been submitted to peer
quality is higher compared to other blend ratio. After
review, nor has been accepted for publishing in
increasing flax percentage in P-F blend ratio, the
another journal. The author(s) confirms that the
value of imperfection is gradually increased. Short
research in their work is original, and that all the data
fiber content in flax fiber may be the causes for these
given in the article are real and authentic. If
results. So it may be said that, if low flax percentage
necessary, the article can be recalled, and errors
is used in P-F blend ratio, may delivering higher
corrected."
result.
REFERENCES
4. CONTRIBUTION [1] Robert R Franck, "Flax," in Bast and other plant fibres,
Cambridge, England, Woodhead publishing, 2000, pp.
Polyester-flax blended yarn is a new dimension in our 107-108.
textile sector. This research work will motivate to [2] I. S. G. K. L. M. Dana Kremenakova1, "‘Internal
every researcher in this field who want to work Structure Of Blended Cotton – Flax Yarns," TU Liberec
successively. Czech Republic, Czech Republic.
[3] B.K. Behera, "comfort and handle behaviour of linen-
5. CONCLUSION blended fabrics," AUTEX Research Journal, © AUTEX,
vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 33-47, March 2007.
[4] Nelson Ping Ching Chao, Blending Cotton and polyester
To conclude, it is clear that with the more percentage
fibers- Effects of processing methods on fiber
of flax in polyester and flax blend ratios yarn distribution and yarn properties, Georgia: Georgia
irregularities are higher. Polyester is better compatible Institute of Technology, September, 1963.
with lower proportion of flax in their ratios hence [5] P. R. -Lord, Handbook of yarn production, Cambridge:
exhibits suitable performance. The reason could be Woodhead publishing Ltd., 2003.
the properties of flax which is fixed naturally. [6] J. C. T. J. Danuta Cyniak, "Quality Analysis of
Thereafter the high proportion of flax is not Cotton/Polyester Yarn Blends Spun with the Use of a
compatible with polyester. Rotor Spinning Frame," Fibers & Textiles in Eastern
Europe, vol. 14, no. 3 , pp. 33-37, September 2006.
[7] W. Klein, The Technology of short staple spinning,
6. FUTURE DIRECTION England: The Textile Institute, 2010-2011.
[8] C. Lawrence, Advances in yarn spinning technology,
Blended technology is a new era in our present world. cambridge, England: Woodhead, The Textile Institute,
In the thesis work, quality optimization of polyester- 2010.
flax blended yarn with different ratios was analyzed. [9] Gabriela Peters, Sandra Meier,
In this research work, there were some limitations. “https://www.uster.com/fileadmin/customer/Knowledge
The limitations can be overcome through the future /Textile_Know_How/Yarn_testing/U_LabSystems_Des
work. cription_of_al_quality.pdf“ June 2002 / Edition 2:
September 2007 / Edition 3: July 2010 SE 562
 Increase of machine speed in the processing
[Accessed 02.07.2017]
of polyester-flax blended yarn.

Copyright © 2020 Daffodil International University. All rights reserved. 4