Finite element modeling effects of fiber performance on pilling of polyester–cotton woven fabrics

Abstract

This paper aims to numerically establish the effects of polyester fiber performance on the pilling of polyester–cotton woven fabrics, including pilling grades, overall energy absorption and the forms of energy absorption. Geometric models of fabric and hairiness are established using the Python programming language based on the length and density distribution of hairiness on the fabric surface. The finite element method is adopted to simulate the pilling process of polyester–cotton woven fabrics with different polyester fiber performance parameters. The simulated pilling grades of fabrics are fairly close to the practical pilling grades, whose relative error is 7.3%. With the increase of fiber diameter, pilling grades decrease. Increasing the fiber friction coefficient also affects pilling grades, which firstly decrease and then increase. Pilling grades reduce with the increased fiber elastic modulus. Friction dissipation energy during pilling becomes the dominant form of energy. When the fiber diameter is less than 14 μm, the fiber friction coefficient is between 0.3 and 0.4 and the fiber elastic modulus is greater than 4.55 GPa, fabrics start pilling.