18--THE ABRASION-RESISTANCE OF SOME WOVEN FABRICS AS DETERMINED BY THE ACCELEROTOR ABRASION TESTER.

The use of an Accelerotor abrasion tester is discussed, and the abrasion-resistance of several plain-weave fabrics is shown to depend on the type of fibre. The materials are ranked in order of decreasing resistance to abrasion with carborundum, rubber, metal, and plastics abradants. Polyamide fibres have outstanding resistance and cellulose-ester and regenerated protein fibres poor resistance to abrasion. The order of resistance of other synthetic-polymer fibres, regenerated cellulosic fibres, and natural fibres is shown to alter slightly according to the nature of the abradant, the linear density of the fibre, and the sett of the fabric. The results are in general agreement with published data, but the resistance of polypropylene-fibre fabrics is lower than it was expected to be. Microscopical examination of detritus confirmed that this consisted of small segments of complete fibre, which indicated that abrasion occurs by fibre breakage. A useful correlation is established between the specific strength and initial modulus of a fibre, or the energy of rupture of mechanically conditioned fibres, and the abrasion-resistance of a fabric. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]