Linen Fabrics Research Articles

Appraisal of Bed Linen Performance with Respect to Sleep Quality

Bed linen is the material laid above the mattress of a bed that serves various purposes – hygiene, warmth, protection of the mattress – and also has a decorative effect in the room. According to several studies, the type of bed linen used for our sleep has a direct effect on our health; in other words, sleep quality is the ultimate performance indicator of bed linen cloth. In this research work, a relationship between bed linen properties and sleep quality was established. Bed linens serve as a basic requirement for sleep, and assessing the right kind of sheet is an important aspect to look into. Analyzing the basic properties of bed linen is an important exercise to perform in order to provide the user with the best-quality sleep. This research focuses on deriving an equation that can be applied to calculate the objective measurement of sleep quality with respect to bed linen properties by developing a bed linen sleep quality index. Questionnaires were designed and subjective evaluation method was followed. A panel of experts was considered for a subjective rating of bed linen properties, their weightage, ranking and bed linen fabrics assessment. Coefficient of concordance was calculated to determine the agreement among the judges and a discriminant analysis was also carried out to determine the variation of the individual rating for a particular property. The results showed a high correlation between the subjective index and the objective index for the bed linen fabric samples. Thus, the objective sleep quality index could be estimated well.

Advantages of Scutellaria baicalensis extracts over just baicalin in the ultrasonically assisted multi-functional treatment of linen fabrics

Recently plant extracts with intrinsic properties of green, safe and eco-friendly were more often integrated with textiles to endow the fabric with multi-functions such as anti-microbial, anti-oxidation and anti-ultraviolet. Therefore, it is worthwhile to study the role of active constituents in plant extracts on the functionalization of textiles. Herein, Scutellaria baicalensis (chinese skullcap) extracts (SBE) and its main active ingredient, baicalin, were effectively combined with linen fabric by means of impregnation and ultrasonic treatment respectively. The treated linen fabrics were characterized by SEM, FTIR, XRD, TGA, DTG analysis and the relevant functions such as anti-microbial activity, antioxidant activity and ultraviolet protection ability as well as durability of functionalities were also comparatively assessed. It was found that even with the same content of baicalin, the corresponding functions of the linen fabric treated by SBE are obviously better than treated by baicalin. The advantages of the SBE over just baicalin on the functionalization of linen fabric was analyzed and verified by experiments. The conclusion of this work will guide the quantitative addition of plant extracts on textile functional treatment.

Rapid stain biomarker: A novel tool for forensic detection of semen (effect of time, different fabrics and vaginal secretions on its reliability)

Abstract Background The identification of semen stain is one of the most common human stains that can provide crucial information for crime scene reconstruction and forensic investigation. In sexual assault cases semen identification helps to prove victim’s allegations it also provides a material for DNA analysis that generate the genetic profile of the alleged suspect. The rapid Stain Identification of Human Semen (RSIDTM-Semen) bioassay is designed to detect specifically the presence of human semenogelin. Test development is completed within 10 minutes and can detect as little as 2.5 nL of human semen and it does not cross-react with other human or nonhuman tissues. The detection protocol can be completely integrated into the procedures for DNA extraction and analysis. Aim To assess the efficacy of RSIDTM – Semen strip test for the detection of human semen under some different variables (different fabrics, different time intervals and mixed with vaginal secretions) in order to be used in the routine forensic work of sexual assault cases and for further personal identification. Methodology: Semen samples were collected from four male participants. Vaginal specimens were collected from four female participants on cotton, linen or nylon-tipped swabs (2 swabs from each female). Each semen sample was divided into two portions; one used for semen only test group and the other mixed with vaginal secretions for the mixed test group. One of the fabrics tipped vaginal swab was mixed with semen for the mixed test group and the other used as a positive control group to test the sensitivity and specificity of the RSIDTM – Semen strip. The semen samples were deposited over different fabrics at the same time. All the samples were left to dry for 15 minutes at room temperature then extracted and analyzed according to the protocol designed for The Rapid Stain Identification Test (RSIDTM – Semen). The collected samples were studied as two test groups and one control group. Each of the previous groups, was categorized into 4 subgroups (a, b, c and d) according to the time interval of semen extraction (zero (on the spot), 2, 4, 6 and 10 days respectively). Results Semen could be identified in 100% of tested samples of the semen only group as well as of the combined semen and vagina group over cotton and linen fabrics at all the different tested time intervals. However, semen extracted from nylon fabric was identified in tested samples of the semen only group and of the combined semen and vagina group only at zero time only and couldn’t be identified at the rest of tested time intervals. Conclusion the current study evidenced that the new RSIDTM-semen kit is a reliable method for semen identification over different types of fabrics even in the presence of vaginal secretions. It also resists environmental factors up to 10 days.

Clinical Pattern of Inflammatory bowel disease in central reigon, Saudi Arabia

Abstract Background The identification of semen stain is one of the most common human stains that can provide crucial information for crime scene reconstruction and forensic investigation. In sexual assault cases semen identification helps to prove victim’s allegations it also provides a material for DNA analysis that generate the genetic profile of the alleged suspect. The rapid Stain Identification of Human Semen (RSIDTM-Semen) bioassay is designed to detect specifically the presence of human semenogelin. Test development is completed within 10 minutes and can detect as little as 2.5 nL of human semen and it does not cross-react with other human or nonhuman tissues. The detection protocol can be completely integrated into the procedures for DNA extraction and analysis. Aim To assess the efficacy of RSIDTM – Semen strip test for the detection of human semen under some different variables (different fabrics, different time intervals and mixed with vaginal secretions) in order to be used in the routine forensic work of sexual assault cases and for further personal identification. Methodology: Semen samples were collected from four male participants. Vaginal specimens were collected from four female participants on cotton, linen or nylon-tipped swabs (2 swabs from each female). Each semen sample was divided into two portions; one used for semen only test group and the other mixed with vaginal secretions for the mixed test group. One of the fabrics tipped vaginal swab was mixed with semen for the mixed test group and the other used as a positive control group to test the sensitivity and specificity of the RSIDTM – Semen strip. The semen samples were deposited over different fabrics at the same time. All the samples were left to dry for 15 minutes at room temperature then extracted and analyzed according to the protocol designed for The Rapid Stain Identification Test (RSIDTM – Semen). The collected samples were studied as two test groups and one control group. Each of the previous groups, was categorized into 4 subgroups (a, b, c and d) according to the time interval of semen extraction (zero (on the spot), 2, 4, 6 and 10 days respectively). Results Semen could be identified in 100% of tested samples of the semen only group as well as of the combined semen and vagina group over cotton and linen fabrics at all the different tested time intervals. However, semen extracted from nylon fabric was identified in tested samples of the semen only group and of the combined semen and vagina group only at zero time only and couldn’t be identified at the rest of tested time intervals. Conclusion the current study evidenced that the new RSIDTM-semen kit is a reliable method for semen identification over different types of fabrics even in the presence of vaginal secretions. It also resists environmental factors up to 10 days. Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is A chronic inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). IBD comprises Crohn’s disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC). Patients with CD and UC may present with variety of clinical presentations according to the activity of the disease. The treatment of IBD varies according to degree of activity. The demographics and clinical patterns of IBD have not been adequately studies in Saudi Arabia. Thus, the current study investigated the clinical presentation, course and outcome of IBD in a hospital in the Central region, Saudi Arabia. Methodology This prospective study included 92 patients from December 1, 2017, to August 31, 2018. The study constituted clinical history, screening through surveys that consisted of open ended and closed ended questions, and physical and laboratory assessment. Result There was no significant gender difference presents by male to female (M: F) 20:21 in UC and 23:28 in CD. The study showed that the most affected age group was the 4th decade in age group 31 to 40 years old represent that 56%. The most common presenting symptoms in active ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease were diarrhea, abdominal pain , weight loss, headache and fever. The study patients presented in different stages according to Montreal classification with the highest prevalence in Montreal stage two by 16.30% in UC and 22.82% in CD. Among patients with diarrhea, the vast majority due to infectious cause followed by UC the CD. Arthralgia’s, arthritis and ophthalmic manifestations were the most frequent extra-intestinal manifestations. Conclusion As progression of IBD in Saudi Arabia the health organization should research more in IBD and the cause of increase it’s incidence

Examining the White Karelian Textile Tradition of the Late Nineteenth Century—Focus on Plant Fibers

Collection SU4522 in the Finno-Ugric Collections of the National Museum of Finland consists of 143 items, mainly textiles from nineteenth-century White Karelia, now part of the current Russia. Forty-one linen textiles were chosen for closer examination, with the aim of evaluating the area’s textile culture and identifying the materials using microscopic methods. Flax, hemp and nettle have all been traditional materials for clothing in northern Europe. Additionally, cotton became established in the region during the nineteenth century. Previous research lacked such a deep examination of the textile materials used, leaving room for speculation. Stinging nettle has not been shown before to have been used as a textile material in the Karelian area. Our results show that it appeared commonly in rätsinä-shirts and käspaikka-towels. Against the consensus hemp was rare and appeared only in one of the items. The results are mirrored by concurrent pictorial and written material from I. K. Inha who visited the region in 1894 and collected most of the items in the collection. White Karelian textile traditions from clothing to fabrics, weaving, spinning and fiber production are discussed in the article. Nevertheless, questions concerning the origins of the materials and the effects of the peddling tradition would need further research.

Characterization and Wrinkle Resistance Enhancement by Sol-Gel Method of Variously Pretreated Linen Fabrics

In this study, wrinkle resistant finish by sol-gel method was applied to the linen fabrics that were pretreated by three different ways as bleaching/causticization, bleaching/mercerization and only bleaching. The effects of these studied methods on linen fabrics were investigated by physical performance tests and characterization analyses, namely, FTIR-ATR, SEM and EDX. From the results of the study it can be said that sol-gel method was favorable in enhancement of wrinkle resistance of linen fabrics and mercerization as a pretreatment process provided more positive effects in terms of wrinkle resistance than the other pretreatment processes. Moreover, it was also observed that wrinkle resistant finish by sol-gel method did not lead to considerable changes in physical properties like strength and handle and in appearance properties like color. Characterization analyses confirmed the changes in chemical structure of the linen. In addition, sol-gel method was also indicated as ecological and advantageous due to non-formaldehyde release of chemical agents contrary to conventional wrinkle-resistant finishing agents.

Photocatalytic activity and antibacterial properties of linen fabric using reduced graphene oxide/silver nanocomposite.

Silver nanoparticles were in situ prepared on the surface of linen fabric coated by graphene oxide (GO). In the meantime, the reduction of silver nitrate on the GO-coated fabric led to the synthesis of reduced graphene oxide on the fabric. Two kinds of substrate (cotton and linen) were used. Both RGO/Ag and Ag/GO nanocomposites were added on cotton and linen fabrics through a conventional “pad–dry–cure” method. The chemistry and morphology of the coated surfaces were extensively characterized using Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Resistivity measurements were used for assessing the conductivity. The UV protection properties and the photocatalytic activity of the coated fabrics against methylene blue dye were also investigated. The antibacterial activity was studied against Gram-positive S. aureus and B. subtilis and Gram-negative bacterial strains E. coli and P. aeruginosa by determining the zone of inhibition using the agar diffusion method. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been responsible for many serious hospital infections worldwide. The fabrics showed superior antibacterial activity and successfully hindered the growth of pathogenic bacterial strains. This outcome suggested that both the RGO/Ag and Ag/GO nanocomposites-coated fabrics could be potentially applied in biomaterials and biomedical fields.

PIXE Investigation of Ancient Linen Fabrics Dated from Old Kingdom to Ptolemaic Ages (2200-300 B.C.)

External milli-beam particle induced X-ray emission spectroscopy (PIXE) has been used as non-destructive technique to investigate ancient linen fabrics from pre-dynastic and Ptolemaic ages belonging to the archaeological collections of the Egyptian Museum of Turin and to the Civic Archaeological Museum of Bologna, Italy. 9 linen fabric samples dated from Old Kingdom to Ptolemaic ages (2200-300 B.C.) were investigated, as well as 5 modern linen fabric samples, added for comparison. The primary goal of this work has been to advance the correct material description of the fabrics providing scientific data for further and more comprehensive comparative analyses. PIXE has provided quantitative analyses for the major (Si, Cl, K, Ca and Fe) and minor or trace elements as P, Ti and Mn, supplying information on the near-surface elemental composition. The achieved results contribute to comprehend the structural basis for the chemical properties of the considered materials, as well as to set up a classification according to the chemical composition, allowing in general a better understanding of the studied linen cloths.

The Problem of Preserving the Self-Color of Linen Textiles

Issues of preservation of the self-color of gray linen fabrics were discussed. Textiles preparation variants and their influence on the color characteristics of flax were considered. For preserving the chromophoric structure of lignin, enzymatic and plasma treatment methods were proposed.

ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ СВІТЛОСТІЙКОСТІ ПОФАРБУВАНЬ БАВОВНЯНОГО ТРИКОТАЖУ, ОБРОБЛЕНОГО НОВИМИ ТІОСУЛЬФОНАТНИМИ ПРЕПАРАТАМИ

Мета. Аналіз світлостійкості пофарбувань та субстрату білизняного бавовняноготрикотажу обробленого антимікробними тіосульфонатними обробними препаратамиЕТС, МТС і АТС.Методика. При дослідженнях використовували передбачені діючими державнимистандартами методи, які дозволяють визначити світлостійкість забарвлень (колірнийтон, світлість, насиченість, загальний колірний контраст) та розривальніхарактеристики бавовняних білизняних трикотажних полотен, що досліджуються. Дляоцінки світлостійкості пофарбувань, яке проводилось у лабораторії ДП «Хімтекст» (м.Херсон), використано спектрофотометр Premier Colorscan Colorlab (Spectro:5100) згідноз вимогами ДСТУ ГОСТ ІСО 105 – 701:2000 з використанням розрахункових формулсистеми CIELxaxbx.Результати. Вивчено можливість та обґрунтована доцільність використання увітчизняному текстильному та трикотажному виробництвах тіосульфонатних обробнихпрепаратів ЕТС, МТС і АТС для антимікробного оброблення бавовняних білизняних трикотажних полотен літнього асортименту з метою їх ефективного захисту відбіодеструкції целюлозоруйнуючими патогенними та ґрунтовими мікроорганізмами.Встановлено, що в процесі антимікробного оброблення бавовняних трикотажних полотенпрепаратами ЕТС, МТС і АТС не спостерігається помітних змін їх механічнихвластивостей (розривальне навантаження), що може погіршити зносостійкість тагігієнічні показники названих полотен в процесі експлуатації виробів із них. Не виявленонегативного впливу оброблення препаратами ЕТС, МТС і АТС на зміну колірниххарактеристик (світлості, насиченості, колірного тону і загального колірного контрасту)і світлостійкості пофарбувань досліджуваних трикотажних полотен кубовимибарвниками.Основною перевагою тіосульфонатних обробних препаратів є те, що їхвикористання гарантує одночасне досягнення на трикотажних бавовняних білизняних іодягових полотнах високої атмосферостійкості без погіршення їх механічнихвластивостей.Наукова новизна. В результаті проведених досліджень, встановлено, щотіосульфонатні антимікробні препарати ЕТС, МТС і АТС здатні ефективно захищатибавовняні білизняні трикотажні полотна літнього асортименту від тривалої дії сонячноїрадіації.Практична значимість. Встановлено, що обрані нами тіосульфонатні препаратиЕТС, МТС і АТС придатні не тільки для ефективного захисту від мікробіологічноїдеструкції, але й від тривалої дії світлопогоди бавовняних трикотажних полотенлітнього асортименту (робочого одягу, спортивної білизни).
 Purpose. The purpose of this work is to introduce the new types of antimicrobialpreparations to the cellulose production to provide at the same time bio-resistance, weatherresistance and environmental safety to cotton, polyester, multi-component materials. The mostdemanded creation is producing similar materials for the products of linen assortment, which aredirectly in contact with the skin, safe for human health and environment. Products from suchmaterials can be used both at home and in medical institutions, in the food industry, in trains oflong-distance trafficking, in the army, etc.A lot of attention all over the world is paid for the development of various methods forobtaining and studying the properties of materials with antiseptic attributes. However, despite thelarge amount of work in this area, many issues are still far from their solution. In particular, the actual task is to create environmentally friendly textile materials and knitted cloths withantimicrobial properties, which are stored in wet treatments, washing, light exposure, that isnecessary in using underwear in real conditions. The problems associated with reducing the costto obtain such materials are equally important. Therefore, the purpose of our research is toanalyze the light-fastness of paints and the substrate of linen cotton knitted fabrics treated withantimicrobial thiosulfonate preparations of ETS, MTS and ATS.Method. The methods provided in applicable state standards that determine the lightnessof colors (color tone, lightness, saturation, overall color contrast) and the breakingcharacteristics of the cotton linen fabrics were used in the studies.Results. The possibility and feasibility of using thiosulonate preparations including ETS,MTS and ATS in the domestic textile and knitwear production for antimicrobial treatment ofcotton linen knitted cloths of the summer range for the purpose of their effective protectionagainst biodestruction by cellulose-destroying pathogenic and soil microorganisms aresubstantiated.In the process of antimicrobial treatment of the studied cotton knitted fabrics by ETS, MTSand ATS preparations, no noticeable changes in their mechanical (breaking strength) propertiesare observed, which may worsen the wear resistance and hygienic performance of these fabricsduring the operation of products from them.No negative influence of treatment with ETS, MTS and ATS preparations on the change ofcolor characteristics (lightness, saturation, color tone and general color contrast) and lightstability of coloring of studied knitted fabrics by cubic dyes was found.The main advantage of thiosulfonate treatments is that their use guarantees simultaneousachievement on knitted cotton linen and clothing cloths of high atmospheric resistance withoutdegradation of their mechanical properties.Scientific novelty. As a result of the research, thiosulfonate antimicrobial preparationsincluding ETS, MTS and ATS are found to able to effectively protect the cotton linen knitted linenof the summer range from prolonged exposure to solar radiation.Practical significance. The thiosulfonate preparations chosen by us, such as ETS, MTSand ATS, are revealed to suitable not only for effective protection against microbiologicaldestruction, but also from the long-lasting effect of light clothing of cotton knitted linen of summerassortment (working clothes, sportswear).

X-ray Dating of Ancient Linen Fabrics

We propose a new method for dating ancient linen threads by inspecting their structural degradation by means of wide-angle X-ray scattering. X-ray dating of a textile sample can be performed nondestructively and on a submillimeter area, e.g., 0.2 × 0.5 mm2, exploiting new table-top X-ray micro-sources. A theoretical formula is derived for dating linen samples directly from wide-angle X-ray scattering measurements. Our preliminary results show that X-ray dating results are in agreement with other dating sources, such as the radiocarbon method and historical records, if some conditions are satisfied. Indeed, this new dating method can be applied only to threads not older than about thirty centuries because of the saturation of the structural degradation with age. Moreover, the method can be applied only on textiles in which cellulose degradation is mainly due by natural aging arising from thermal, hydrolytic, photolytic, photochemical, and oxidative processes. Analyses can be repeated several times on the same sample, which remains unaltered for other complementary characterization procedures. The proposed X-ray dating of some ancient linen fabrics opens the way to explore limits and potentialities of this new approach and to further develop a new dating method, alternative to the existing ones for specific applications in archeological studies.

Microbial Production of Nanolignin from Cotton Stalks and Its Application onto Cotton and Linen Fabrics for Multifunctional Properties

Microbial means of nanolignin production from the bulk lignin derived out of cotton stalks could add value to the agricultural biomass, without affecting the environment. Also, such nanolignin can be used to impart multifunctional properties on the surface of cotton and linen fabrics. The bulk lignin was extracted by kraft pulping process from cotton stalks and subjected to controlled microbial hydrolysis by a lignin degrading fungal isolate, Aspergillus oryzae to obtain the nanolignin. For comparison, nanolignins were prepared by two different established processes, high-shear homogenization and ultrasonication. The microbial process yielded 45.3% nanolignin while homogenization and ultrasonication processes yielded 79.50% and 62.60%, respectively. The nanolignins were characterized for size by DLS particle size analyzer, morphology by AFM and SEM, chemical nature by FTIR, glass transition temperature by DSC and crystallite size by XRD. The microbial nanolignin was applied on to cotton and linen fabrics using pad dry cure method using acrylic binder and studied for its multifunctional properties after 5 and 10 wash cycles. Both the fabrics (cotton and linen) treated with nanolignin showed 100% antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumonia, and, enhanced UV absorbing and antioxidant properties. This study demonstrated the microbial process for production of nanolignin from cotton stalks and protocol to apply nanolignin to impart antibacterial, antioxidant and UV protection properties on the surface of cotton and linen fabrics.

Functionalization of linen fabric using layer by layer treatment with chitosan and green tea extract

Development of multifunctional textile materials using green chemicals is a new quest of research. In the present work, the LBL treatment using chitosan (CH) and green tea extract (GTE) was utilized for the functionalization of linen fabric. The functionalized linen was characterized and functional properties of the modified linen viz. antioxidant property, antibacterial activity and UV protection were evaluated. The LBL finishing resulted in the coloured linen fabrics with antibacterial activity in the range 75–97%. Moreover, the treated fabrics also displayed an antioxidant property (58–96%) and the ultraviolet protection property (UPF>22.5). The synergistic influence of CH and GTE was witnessed in imparting vital functional properties to linen using LBL technique.

A Research on the Comfort Properties of Linen Fabrics Subjected to Various Finishing Treatments

ABSTRACT The study is aimed to investigate the thermophysiological comfort properties of shirt linen fabrics subjected to various finishing treatments such as enzymatic, softening and wrinkle-resistant treatments. After finishing treatments, thermal conductivity, thermal resistance, thermal absorbtivity, maximum heat flow, water vapor permeability, and air permeability measurements were carried out. All test results were evaluated statistically in terms of the effects of enzyme and treatment types. According to the findings, all finishing processes provided improvements on the thermal conductivity and thermal resistance values of the linen fabrics and caused higher thermal absorbtivity values and cooler feeling at the first touch to the fabric. The enzyme and treatment types had important effects on maximum heat flow. When the enzyme, softener, and crosslinker were applied to the fabric together, the highest water vapor permeability values were obtained. However, the finishing treatments affected air permeability values negatively due to the high shrinkage feature. As a result, the effects of mostly applied finishing processes on the thermophysiological comfort of shirt linen fabrics were found to be favorable especially for the usage in the summer season.

Sustainable Functional Coloration of Linen Fabric Using Kigelia Africana Flower Colorant

ABSTRACT Natural dyes are gaining momentum in the textile industry due to their non-toxic and eco-friendly nature. The enhanced demand of natural-dyed functional textile materials resulted in increased interest among the research community to explore new sources of natural dyes which could be utilized for functional coloration of textile materials. Kigelia Africana flower is known for various medicinal properties and thus can be utilized for functional coloration of textile materials. In the current study, the pre-mordanting process has been exploited to evaluate the dyeing condition of the linen fabrics by using different mordants such as; alum, ferrous sulfate, and copper sulfate. The effect of mordants on the color strength of the dyed fabrics was analyzed and correlated with wash fastness tests results. The dyed fabrics analysis has been carried out in terms of their color strength and color coordinates (L*a*b*). The functional properties like radical scavenging activity, antibacterial activity, and UV protection properties were thoroughly investigated to determine the functionality of dyed fabrics. The dyed samples displayed satisfactory fastness and color strength along with efficient antibacterial, antioxidants and UV protection properties.

The Effect of Uncontrolled Museum Condition on the properties of Historical dyed linen fabric with natural dyes

The Ancient Egyptian Textiles in uncontrolled museum conditions are exposed to many challenges such as oscillate relative humidity (RH), changing temperature. This paper aim to study the effect of thermal aging procedures on dyed linen with natural dyes such as Madder dye, Turmeric dye mordanted with different mordents such as Alum, Iron III chloride FeCl3 and Copper sulfate CuSO4.5H2O. The main goal in thermally accelerated ageing is to increase the rate of degradation by making use of the fact that the reaction rate is increased with increasing. The dyed linen fabrics after and before ageing were investigated for their mechanical, chemical, and optical properties such as surface morphology, color parameters (CIELab). Interesting results were obtained. These results will help in establishing standard conditions of light and temperature at which the archeological textile objects can be maintained to minimize deterioration.

Cellulose-decomposing microorganisms of light chestnut soils of the Volgograd region

The results of the dependence of the activity of cellulose-decomposing microorganisms on the anthropogenic impact on the soil are presented in the article. The qualitative reaction of microbial community to cellulose was assessed by the decomposition of linen fabric. The decomposition of the textile fibers and the increase of the weight of pieces of linen fabric by 30.64% in samples which were laid at the level of 10-20 cm in favourable soil conditions were demonstrated. It was determined that the highest microbial number was observed when a soil extract was cultivated on the Chapek medium, regardless of the soil conditions in which the microorganisms lived. The soils of the Volgograd region in the sphere of anthropogenic impact are contaminated and poor in micro- and macroelements, so they are not suitable for the life of the soil microbiota. That fact is evidenced by the lack of growth of microorganisms on an agarized soil starvation medium.

Experimental study on the effects of width and self-extinguishing on the upward flame spread for linen fabric

Linen fabric has been widely applied to interior decoration, medical and health care, industrial fabrics and oil painting exhibitions due to its advantages of good hygroscopicity, strong air permeability, excellent health care functions. In this paper, a series of comparative experiments were performed to study the effects of sample width on upward flame spreading using linen fabric with various widths ranging from 4 to 8 cm and length of 1.6 m. The major conclusions are summarized as follows: when sample width is 4 cm or 5 cm, the upward spreading process can be divided into three typical stages: two-sided flame accelerated spread, one-sided flame self-extinguishing and one-sided flame stable spread. Whereas for samples with a width larger than 5 cm, the upward flame spreading only exhibits the two-sided flame accelerated spread stage. Moreover, the maximum pyrolysis height, steady pyrolysis height, maximum spread rate and steady spread rate increase with sample width. The relationship between maximum spread rate and sample width can be described by a power-law function. Furthermore, after the one-sided flame self-extinguishing occurs, the pyrolysis height and spread rate decrease dramatically, which can be explained using energy conservation. The ratio of pyrolysis length before and after the self-extinguishing is about 2.0, and the corresponding ratio of spread rate is also around 2.0.

The Effect of Linen and Linen Blends on the Comfort Properties of Bedding Fabrics

ABSTRACT In this study, the effect of linen and linen blends on the comfort properties of bedding fabrics was investigated. Therefore, 10 different fabric types were produced by using the same warp (100% cotton) and different weft yarns. Thermal and handle properties of fabrics, which were woven with 100% linen and two different ratios of cotton/linen, viscose/linen, and lyocell/linen blended weft yarn, were compared with 100% cotton and each other. The results showed that the thermal values of the fabric woven with linen weft were not different from other fabrics. In addition, the use of linen and man-made cellulosic fiber blend fabrics made no significant difference in terms of thermal absorptivity, but increased the air permeability, bending and shear ability. However, the fabric woven with 80% lyocell/20% linen weft showed the highest values in terms of heat and vapor passage, formability and elongation properties in accordance with the 100% cotton fabric. The results of this study proved that the fabric produced with 100% cotton warp and 80% lyocell/20% linen weft will provide a good thermal and handle comfort for bedding fabrics.

The art produced by substitute surfaces in hand block printing

Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify the print effects produced on selected fabrics due to the adaptation of styrofoam, plastic net and wood as stamp blocks for printing. Design/methodology/approach The art-based experimental research approach was used to produce and identify the art (prints) produced by stamp blocks on different fabrics using water-soluble print paste. Findings They stamp block surfaces used in the block printing process produced interesting effects or prints that are uniquely associated with each other. Fabrics such as silver and satin produced shinny print effects coupled with a tough hand or feel as compared to a paperish hand produced on the surfaces of cotton-polyester blend and linen fabrics. The addition of white glue to the paste produced a smooth and embossed-like print effect on fabrics like mercerised cotton and linen. Further results were captured to indicate the hand of these fabrics after printing due to the change in viscosity of the print paste. Originality/value The use of calabash and wood surfaces as stamp blocks used in Ghana and the rest of the world is common for printing patterns on fabrics. This study essentially reveals the possibility of using different surfaces for stamp blocks which produce aesthetically pleasing print effects. This when adopted by craftsmen and students would widen the teaching and creative scope in block printing and further produce viable prints for the market using available materials in the environment. These activities would promote and maintain the philosophy of block printing even in the era of advance printing technologies.