5 – Experimental methods for analyzing friction in textiles

Publisher Summary This chapter highlights that textile-to-textile and textile-to-other surface friction plays an important role in governing the behavior of textiles in processing, wear, and use. Whether the material is a fabric with a complex structure or a single fiber, the contact in the friction process can be considered to occur between two fibers or between a fiber and another surface. The chapter discusses the general methods of testing textiles, along with the associated equations. It provides an overview on the testing and characterization of the frictional properties of the fabrics. The chapter discusses the characterization of the topographical features of fabrics and their correlations with friction and with the subjective ranking of hand. It also describes the commercially available devices and standard test methods for testing of friction in yarns or filaments and on fabrics, including non-woven. Friction results of fabrics are sensitive to variations in experimental conditions. Processing variables such as finishing treatment, yarn and fabric construction and fiber content also affect results of fabric friction. Therefore, the factors must be noted when specifying results. A single value function, such as the coefficient of friction, is not adequate in describing the frictional behavior of fabrics.