Effect of alkali treatment on the mechanical properties of flax-viscose OE rotor-spun yarns

Flax-viscose blends can be easily spun on the rotor spinning system, though the mechanical properties of the blended yam deteriorate with an increase in flax content. It has been observed that flax content should not exceed 30% for spinning stability. Alkali treatment remarkably increases the bulk and breaking extension but decreases the tenacity, initial modulus and flexural rigidity. The decrease in tenacity, initial modulus and flexural rigidity of the treated yarns shows descending relationship with flax content but it increases with the decrease in twist factor.