ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses few vital physical and chemical properties of a fibre. The commercial value of any fibre depends largely upon the extent to which it possesses certain qualities or properties, such as length, strength, elasticity, fineness, etc. Elasticity is very important in textiles for the general reaction of fibre to longitudinal tensions and to flexing backwards and forwards. It has an immense and decisive influence on the properties of end products made from fibre. The property of resilience and recovery from creasing and wrinkling is excellent in polyester fibres. Lower elasticity gives jute an advantage as bagging material as it means that loaded bags have less tendency to shift about when stacked than bags made of fibres with greater percentage of elongation. Strength of textile fibres is measured in terms of tensile strength. Tensile properties are characterized by initial Young's modulus, yield point, work of rupture, work factor, elastic recovery, creep, etc.
