Fiber Identification - Burning Test- Man-made Fibers
All viscose including HighWet Modulus scorch and ignite quickly when brought near the flame. Like cottonthey burn quickly with yellow flame whenin the flame. When removed from the flame they continue to burn. There is noafterglow unlike cotton. The smell is that of burning paper. They leave a lightgray and feathery ash.
Acetate Rayon ( And Triacetate Rayon)
When brought near the flame,it fuses away from flame turning black. When in the flame, it flames quickly.The fabric puckers, sputters and melts. It drips like burning tar. When removedfrom the flame, it continues to burn and melt. It smells like vinegar. Itleaves a brittle hard, irregular black ash which is difficult to crush.
Nylon fuses and shrinks awayfrom the flame when brought near the flame. In flame, it burns slowly withoutmelting. When removed from flame the flame diminishes and tends to die out. Ithas somewhat pungent odor. It leaves a hard, round, tough and gray bead.
When brought near the flame,it shrinks away from the flame. When in the flames it puckers and chars. Whenremoved from flame, it extinguishes by itself. It has no smell and it leaves ahard black bead.
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Polyester fuses and shrinksaway from flame. When in flame, it burns slowly with melting. When removed fromthe flame, it burns with difficulty. It has slightly sweetish smell. It leavesa hard round brittle, black bead.
Orlon, Acrilan and Creslanand Zefran fuse and melt away from Flame when brought near the flame. When inflame Orlon flames rapidly. The fiber puckers, sputters and melts. Acrilanflames rapidly and melts. Creslan flames and melts and Zefran sputters slightlyand flames. When removed flame all of acrylics continue to burn and melt. Orlonhas a slightly burning meat-like smell. Acrilan has a buring steak smell.Creslan has sharp sweet smell and Zefran has a turmeric like smell. Orlon,Acrilan and Cresla have hard, brittle and irregular black bead. Zefran hasirregular black ash that can be crushed easily.
Modacrylics
Verel and SEF fuse andshrink away from the flame when approached near a flame. When in flame, Verelburns very slowly with melting. SEF shrinks, melts and smolders. When removedfrom flames, all modacrylics are self extinguishing. Verel has a gunpower smellwhereas SEF has a sharp sweet smell. Verel leaves a hard and irregular black beadwhereas SEF leaves a hard and irregular black bead.
Fuses but doesn’t shrinksaway from the flame when approached near the flame. When in flame, it burnswith melting. It has an acrid smell. It leaves a soft, fluffy black bead.
