Abrasion kinetics of wool and blended fabrics

The abrasion resistance of different wool and blended fabrics is measured w ith the Martindale wear and abrasion tester, the abrasion kinetics is ident ified by the shape of the mass loss curve versus abrasion cycles up to yam breakage. A concave kinetic curve shows a low initial weight loss rate, whi ch continues to increase throughout the process up to the end. A convex kin etic curve begins with a high initial weight loss rate, which continues to decrease throughout the process. The third kinetic curve shows an almost li near relationship between mass loss and abrasion cycles up to yarn breakage . Due to the long time required for the abrasion test to yam breakage, a si mplified method is used based on the determination of mass loss up to 5000 abrasion cycles. The initial mass loss rate and the mean value of this rate throughout the 5000 abrasion cycles (i.e., the mean abrasion;gradient) see m to be good estimates of the surface and structural abrasion degradation o f the fabrics, and they show a strong relationship with the structural para meters of the fabrics.