Heating and Burning Characteristics

The reaction of fibers to heat from an open flame is a useful guide in identification of fibers. When thermoplastic fibers are brought close to a flame, they will melt, fuse, and shrink, whereas nonthermoplastic fibers will brown, char, or be unaffected by the flame. On contact with an open flame, fibers of organic polymers will ignite and bum. The nature of the 

On removal from the flame, fibers will either self-extinguish or continue to burn. The odor of gases coming from the decomposing fibers and the nature of any residual ash are characteristic of the fibrous polymer being burned. 

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Several methods are used to identify fibers and to differentiate them from one another. The most common methods include microscopic examination, solubility tests, heating and burning characteristics, density or specific gravity, and staining techniques. 

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