10—the Friction of Cotton Fibres

An account is given of an investigation in which the variation in the frictional forces developed along the surface of some Egyptian cotton fibres was measured over a range of the recorded normal-load values developed under the point–point conditions of contact with a straight-edge probe. It is evident from the video-tape recordings made that the frequency of convolutions in cotton fibres is primarily responsible for determining their frictional behaviour. Under the experimental conditions used, the frictional force varies linearly with the normal load, and no evidence of plastic deformation was observed within the limit of resolution of the scanning electron microscope.