Fiber Burn Test, The NO.1 Free And Best Method

There’re totally 7 methods for identifying the textile fiber types. What are they? How they work? These are the main concerned questions you may want to know. But today I’m going to tell you the easiest way for textile fiber identification. Yes! You are right! That is fiber burn test.

Before we discuss the fiber burn test. Let’s clarify the 7 methods first. You may find the method names below for them.

• Fiber Burn Test

• Reagent Color Identification

• Staining Identification

• Chromogenic Agent Identification

• UV LED Identification

• Fiber Identification Microscope

• Fiber Identification By Solubility

Fiber Burn Test

Taking out some warp and weft yarns from a fabric cutting. Using the lighter to burn them. You can identify the fiber types by seeing the burning flame, yarn melting result, smell and the ash.

Fiber burn test is the simplest and most often used method. There are many identification methods for natural fiber and recycled fiber. Some fibers have the similar burning flame, smell and ash. In this situation, we need to use lab methods to find the difference.

But the fiber burn test is still the easiest way in textile industry. Because it’s easy to learn and doesn’t require lab equipment.

Fiber Burning Comparison Chart

Here below is a fiber identification chart for you. It including most common fiber burning result. Saving it in your phone and compare when you burn the fiber. It will be the secret weapon for you.

Fiber Burn Test Comparison Chart

After introducing the fiber burn test, let’s have a brief ideas about the balance 6 lab methods.

Reagent Color Identification

This method is only available for original colored fiber. Which means the yarn is without dyeing.

We put the yarn inside of colorant after certain seconds. Different fiber will show different colors. So we can compare the yarn color and identify the fiber.

Staining Identification

This method also available for original colored fiber. It including 2 methods.

• Hot Staining Identification

• Cold Staining Identification

We can tell the difference form the method names immediately. One is test in boiled solvent and the other is in cold solvent. And this method is also checking the yarn color to identify the fiber types. But using the different kind of mixed chemical liquid.

Chromogenic Agent Identification

This method is similar like the previous 2 methods. By checking the yarn color after putting in the solvent. And this method is good at identifying cotton, rayon, polyester, acrylic, and nylon fiber.

UV LED Identification

It’s easy to understand this test. See the fiber colors under UV LED and compare the specified chart of this test. You can easily figure out the fiber types. Please always remember not to see the UV LED directly by your eyes. It will hurt your eyes.

Fiber Identification Microscope

Using microscope to identify the fiber is a little bit difficult. The difference between fibers are in the cross section. But it’s hard to get a fiber cross section sample from a tiny fiber. Some fibers is easy to break. So this method is only available for identifying cotton, linen and wool fiber.

Fiber Identification By Solubility

Fibers can dissolve in different kind of solvent. Checking the fiber dissolution result in certain chemical solvent. We can narrow down the fiber range. By using other methods together, we can identify the fiber type immediately.

The test methods are all different. But the result is the same. We will figure out the fiber type by the test methods finally. However I prefer fiber burn test. Because it’s easy and only need a lighter. It deserves to be the No. 1 method.

Comment below with your ideas. And stay tuned for our next post.