Development of a rapid method for the determination of fiber content in polyester/cotton blends
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Abstract
Methods were developed to accurately and quickly determine the polyester fiber proportions present in polyester/ cotton blends. The results of the developed techniques were compared to those obtained using the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) Test Method 20A, a sulfuric acid dissolution technique. Six fabric blend levels and eleven fiber blend levels were used to develop the methodology. The samples were dyed using sublimation techniques and disperse dyes. Reflectance data were utilized in developing simple linear regression equations to predict polyester content. In some cases, the polyester contents of blends as determined by the newly developed methods showed no significant differences (a<^.05) when compared with the polyester contents of the same samples as determined by the AATCC Test Method. Blend levels predicted by the sublimation techniques had standard errors of the mean that fell within the accepted + 3% range as required by the Federal Trade Commission for truth in labeling. The developed methods provide rapid and easily executed tests for determining polyester fiber blend proportions in polyester/cotton blends.