Effects of wool fiber surface characteristic on fuzzing and pilling of knitted fabrics

In view of the pilling tendency of knitted wool fabrics,the morphology and properties of wool fibers of the untreated,chlorine-resin treated,and oxidation treated were characterized with a view to investigating the effects of fiber surface morphology after different treatments on the fuzzing and pilling of the knitted fabrics.The fiber morphology was observed by scanning electron microscopy(SEM).The measurement and calculation of the thickness of fiber scale and surface roughness was conducted by atomic force microscopy(AFM).Yarn hairiness was imaged by a three-dimensional video microscope.The comparative experiments of fuzzing and pilling of the knitted fabrics were performed with the pilling tester.The results show that after oxidation treatment,the surface scales of wool fibers were partially cleaved,thickness of scale reduced,some grooves generated on the surface,both with-scale and against-scale friction coefficients decreased,and yarn hairiness decreased as well.The results of AFM were basically in agreement with the tested values of frictional performance;and the pilling rating of the knitted fabric of oxidized wool fibers was 2.5,and the average numbers of pilling per 25 cm2 were 25.