Effect of dehairing on llama fibre aiming to improve its homogeneity and textile quality
- Journal of Textile Engineering & Fashion Technology
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Lilian I Brodtmann,<sup>1</sup> Diego G Seghetti Frondizi,<sup>2 </sup>Michel V H Hick,<sup>3,4</sup> Maria F Castillo,<sup>3</sup> Alejandro Prieto,<sup>3</sup> Eduardo N Frank<sup>3,4</sup>
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Abstract
The aim of this work was to demonstrate the effect of dehairing on the content of objectionable fibres and fibre length, in relation to different fleece types of Llama fibre, evaluating the degree of improvement regarding the homogeneity and general textile quality. Sixteen (16) llama fleeces of different fleece types where analysed while being processed by the AM2 dehairing technology. The analysis was implemented regarding fibre groups (FGs) as well as regarding fibre types. The total mean fibre diameter of the dehairing product (TMDnd) of all fleeces of 29.3 μm at the beginning was reduced to 25.9 μm after the first 3 passes through the AM2. With the successive passes, the TMDnd is further reduced, reaching 24.9 μm after the tenth pass, with a total reduction of 4,4 μm. The study with respect to the dehairing process reaffirmed a favourable modification implying an improvement with respect to the textile quality of the fibre. It was confirmed that, firstly, this is due to the separation of the coarse fibres, which are included in the subproduct and, at the same time, it is due to the increase of the relative weight of fine fibres (FG3) in the dehairing product, thus reducing the TMDnd of this product as well as the prickle effect due to the reduction of objectionable fibres. However, it arises the need to consider the existing context of fibre production which includes fleeces of varied textile value, including coarse fleeces whose fine fibres are not fine enough. It was therefore concluded that, for the production of fine textiles, dehairing alone cannot guarantee a sufficiently fine dehairing product, but it must be implemented after the fleeces have been classified regarding fineness. Also, classification regarding fleece type was found to be fundamental in order to obtain homogenous raw material for the textile industry. It was confirmed, that dehairing reduces the mean fibre diameter, and this is due to the separation of the coarse fibres out of the dehairing product, while the diameter of the fine fibres stays the same. With respect to the objectionable fibres, which are represented by the coarse fibre group (FG1), it was revealed that the dehairing process clearly reduces this variable for all dehaired fleece types, but the relative weight is not reduced below the desired threshold of 3% for all of them. In addition, it was noted that the large medullated fibres that are very coarse are separated more effectively, whereas coarse continuous medullated fibres are more problematic in this respect and it was also noted that further trials need to be undertaken to address this issue. The fibres belonging to the group of fine fibres (FG3) are the shortest ones, but they remain above 7 cm in the product of dehairing even after the tenth pass.
Keywords
fleece type, dehairing, variability, dissection, classing, objectionable fibres, textile raw material, natural fibre