Microfibrillar texture

It has been shown by De Deurwaerder et al. (1964) that a protein fraction rich in glycine, tyrosine, tryptophan, and phenylalanine can be extracted from wool with a solntion of tris(diethylaminomethyl)phosphine in formamide. Examination with the electron microscope showed that this material was derived mainly from the membrane complex between the cuticular cells the microfibrillar texture of the cortex appeared to be intact. 

Natural and synthetic textile fibers were among the earliest materials studied by electron microscopy. Guthrie [1] and Stoves [2] described the techniques and applications of fiber microscopy to industrial practice. Somewhat later, evidence was provided for an oriented microfibrillar texture in polymer fibers [3]. X-ray diffraction suggested an arrangement of fine structures about 50 nm long and 5 nm wide in semicrystalline fibers [4, 5]. Peterlin [6, 7] observed the formation of fibrils and microfibrils by the deformation and transformation of spheru-lites using various nucroscopy techniques. 

Fig. 5.14 PET fibers peeled back to reveal the internal textures are seen in these SEM micrographs. Important features include the microfibrillar texture and the particles of titanium dioxide. A low magnification view shows the peeled fiber (A) with a surface skin and loose fibrils. At higher magnification (B) particles are seen in furrows and voids are observed adjacent to the particles.

Andrews E H (1966) Microfibrillar textures in polymer fibers, J Polym Sci A2 Polym Phys 4 668-672. 

Fig. 1.5 Schematic of cold drawing process with transformation of the lamellar texture into a microfibrillar structure. (From Peterlin [24] used with permission.)...

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