STUDY ON CUT RESISTANCE

OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE
FIBRE

GUIDED BY:
SUBMITTED BY:

Dr. RAJESH MISHRA

MAITY

SOUMYA

Ing. KASTHURI VENKATESH

MOHANTY

SMARAK

CONTENTS:
1.
03

ABSTRACT

2.
04

INTRODUCTION

3. WHAT IS CUT RESISTANCE

04
4. WHY PARA ARAMID FIBRES USED
04
5. CHARACTERISTICS, APPLICATIONS AND SELECTION OF
SELECTION
FOR CUT RESISTANCE
05
6. STRUCTURE OF KEVLAR
06
7. HOW NOMEX DIFFERENT FROM KEVLAR
09
8. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF KEVLAR
10
9. WHY KEVLAR IS STRONGER THAN OTHER FIBRES
11
10. HOW KEVLAR IS PRODUCED
12
11. KEVLAR AS AN ANTIBALLISTIC MATERIAL
15
12. ROLE OF BULLET WHEN IT STRIKES AN OBJECT
15
13. USE OF PLY TWISTED YARN FOR CUT RESISTANCE
17

14. PROPERTIES OF FABRIC AFFECTING CUT RESISTANCE

29
15. WOVEN FABRICS
31
METHODS
31
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
32
16. KNITTED FABRICS
34
WARP KNITTED FABRICS
35
PENETRATION ANGLE
38
WEFT KNITTED FABRICS
41
CHARACTERISTICS OF WEFT KNITTED FABRICS
43
17.CONCLUSION
44
18. REFERENCES
46

KEVLAR
AS
R E S I S TA N C E

CUT

INTRODUCTION:
Each year, millions of workers suffer workplace injuries that
could have been prevented. Some of the most common and
preventable injuries are cuts and lacerations. Although
statistical data differs from study to study; cuts and lacerations
often rank as the second or third most frequent workplace
injury. Approximately 30% of all workplace injuries involve cuts
or lacerations, and about 70% of those injuries are to the hands
or fngers which prompted development of protective gloves
and sleeves. The conventional means of protection were wire
mesh steel gloves, leather gloves and gloves made of some
alloys. Equipment for protection against fre, ballistic, chemical,
biological, nuclear, fall and cut injury. Higher strength to weight
ratios of these polymers is the major advantage over
conventional metals of steel, and alloys.
Most of these polymers are pliable, fexible and possess textile
characteristics making them easy to fabricate and ideal to
wear.
After the invention of high performance polymers and
materials, considerable research has focused on personal
safety equipment, carried out initially for the military and later
extended to occupational safety, has been done.

TYPES OF CUT HAZARDS:

Todays market for cut resistant gloves requires rising
protection in combination with higher comfort levels. In general
there are two types of cut
hazards: clean, sharp edge cuts such as knife blades and clean
edge sheet glass and abrasive cut hazards caused by rough
edge sheet metal; stamped or
punched sheet metal and rough edged sheet glass. In order to
make cut-resistant gloves for clean and sharp edge hazards,

the following factors are the key elements in the design of

yarns and/or fabrics:
1. Tensile strength: The strength of the fbre is so great that
it is difficult to break.
2. Abrasive action: The fbre is so hard that it will dull a
passing metal blade.
3. Slippage: The blade actually slides across the yarn
without catching to cut. Certain monoflament fbres
have this advantage.
Gloves that are designed to resist clean edge cuts
are usually made with core yarns. Core yarns are manufactured
by wrapping different yarns around a centre or solid fbre core.
Each wrap provides a factor of cut resistance.
Abrasive cut hazards do not just cut, they tear and
abrade and consequently require a different type of glove for
protection. Gloves used in these areas must provide cut
resistance, along with the additional requirements for abrasion
resistance and tensile strength. They also tend to be much
thicker, in order to resist the rougher edges, and are used in
direct contact with the hazard rather than as a liner.
Factors that are necessarily incorporated into the
design of these gloves are:
1. Stretch: This allows the glove to move ahead of the
cutting edge. This is why most cut-resistant gloves are
knit and not woven.
2. Rolling: The yarn fbre roll as the edge passes across. An
analogy would be cutting a carrot with a
3. Knife: If the carrot rolls it will not cut, but when held
stationary it cuts very easily.
4. Loft: A soft thickness in the glove that resists a cutting
edge. We can cut a piece of paper very easily with a
sharp blade. However, if we place the paper on top of a
pile of shaving cream, the task becomes more difficult
because we lack the pressure required to cut.
Many were uncomfortable at poor dexterity and provided little
protection.
For many applications, gloves that provide adequate
protection are often bulky, rigid and can prevent the worker
from completing required tasks. In some cases, the thick gloves
can even increase the risk of injury. To reduce weight and
thickness, many glove manufacturers have turned to high
performance fbres such as Para-aramids in lieu of traditional

textile fbres when developing new products for cut protection.

Their performance encouraged the technologists to design and
engineer innovative personal
safety

What is cut resistance?

Cut resistance is defned as the ability of a material to
resist damage when challenged with a moving sharp edged
object.

WHY PARA- ARAMID FIBRES ARE USED FOR CUT

RESISTANCE?
Para-aramid fbres are used in protective clothing
where cut, abrasion or thermal resistance is critical.
Applications include gloves and sleeves for automotive, glass,
steel and metal workers, chainsaw chaps and trousers for
lumberjacks and other apparel such as aprons and jackets.
Para-aramid yarns do not support combustion and do not melt
in contrast to competitive products made from nylon, polyester
and polyethylene.
Gloves of Para-aramids offer exceptional cut
resistance and can substantially reduce the risk of hand and
fnger injuries in glass and metal handling operations. Gloves
are made primarily from spun yarns, although some are made
from textured flament yarns for applications where the
tendency to form lint must be minimized.
Gloves are made from 100% Para-aramid yarns or
from blends with other fbres, such as nylon or polyester, to
reduce cost or to improve comfort or abrasion resistance. Some
Para-aramid gloves are coated or dotted with elastomers to
enhance grip; others have leather sewn over the palms and
fngers to provide puncture resistance or to increase abrasion
resistance. Para-aramid gloves can be cleaned using
conventional laundering or dry cleaning processes with minimal
impact on cut resistance. Unlike cotton, these gloves do not
shrink when exposed to hot water or hot air. Overall cost per
use can be reduced with cleaning and reuse, rather than
disposal, of soiled items.

Characteristics,
applications
selection for cut resistance:

and

Cut-resistant gloves are designed to protect

hands from direct contact with sharp edges such as glass,
metal, ceramics and other materials. Cut resistance is a
function of a gloves material composition and thickness. You
can increase the level of cut protection by increasing material
weight (i.e., ounces per square yard); by using highperformance materials such as Dyneema, Kevlar, etc.; or by
using composite yarns made with varying combinations of
stainless steel, fbreglass, synthetic yarns and highperformance yarns.
Performance characteristics are not only affected by a
materials weight, but also by the coatings applied to the
outside surface. Lighter-weight styles offer more dexterity,
resulting in less hand fatigue, while their heavier counterparts
generally provide more cut and abrasion protection. Coated
gloves enhance grip, especially on slippery surfaces. However,
some coated gloves may not be appropriate for food handling
applications.
Cut-resistant fbres and materials include, but are not limited
to:

Dyneema: A super-strong polyethylene fbre that offers

maximum strength combined with minimum weight. It is up to
15 times stronger than quality steel and up to 40% stronger
than aramid fbres, both on a weight-for-weight basis. Super
Fabric: Combinations of the number of layers, thickness,
substrates, surface coatings, etc., lead to fabrics that have
varying levels of puncture, cut and abrasion resistance, grip
and fexibility. Tactile surfaces Dyneema foats on water and is
extremely durable and resistant to moisture, ultraviolet light
and chemicals.

Kevlar Aramid Fibre: A synthetic polyamide that is fve

times stronger than steel per unit weight. Inherently fame
resistant, it begins to char at 800F (427C). The thread made
of Kevlar fbre is used to sew seams on temperature-resistant
gloves. Kevlar gloves offer cut and heat resistance. Typically, it
is a lightweight and fexible material used for many applications

relating to automotive assembly, sheet metal handling and

glass handling.
Fibre-Metal Blends: Many durable, abrasion-resistant gloves
are made of a woven fabric blend of Kevlar and stainless steel.
Metal Mesh: Interlocked stainless steel mesh offers superior
cut and abrasion protection due to its strength.
Metal mesh gloves are very cut and abrasion resistant and are
often used in meat/poultry applications.

offer improved grip of wet and oily surfaces.

Steel Core: Cut and abrasion resistant and are often
used for meat/poultry processing, glass handling, metal
fabrication, automotive manufacturing as well as being used in
the paper industry.
There are many different glove materials in the market that
have a variety of performance characteristics and are used for
a variety of different applications.
Although the above materials are known to provide excellent
cut resistance, any glove material will provide some measure of
cut resistance.

Among all aramid fbre, why Kevlar fbre

is used?
Like Nomex, Kevlar is a distant relative of nylon, the first
commercially successful "super polyamide", developed by DuPont in the
1930s. Kevlar was introduced in 1971, having been discovered in the early

1960s by chemist Stephanie Kwolek, who earned a patent for her invention
with Paul Morgan in 1966.

Kevlar is used for mainly cut resistance gloves due to

some of its specific properties:
It's strong but relatively light. The specific tensile strength
(stretching or pulling strength) of both Kevlar 29 and Kevlar 49 is
over eight times greater than that of steel wire.
Unlike most plastics it does not melt: it's reasonably good at
withstanding temperatures and decomposes only
Unlike Nomex, Kevlar can be ignited but burning usually stops
when the heat source is removed.
Very low temperatures have no effect on Kevlar
Like other plastics, long exposure to ultraviolet light (in sunlight, for
example) causes discoloration and some degradation of the fibres
in Kevlar.
Kevlar can resist attacks from many different chemicals, though
long exposure to strong acids or bases will degrade it over time.
In DuPont's tests, Kevlar remained "virtually unchanged" after
exposure to hot water for more than 200 days and its super-strong
properties are "virtually unaffected" by moisture.

TABLE (1) FOR TYPICAL PROPERTIES OF KEVLAR 29 AND 49 YARNS:

STRUCTURE OF KEVLAR:
There are two main stages involved in making Kevlar.
First you have to produce the basic plastic from which Kevlar is
made
(a
chemical
called poly-para-phenylene
terephthalamideno wonder they call it Kevlar). Second, you
have to turn it into strong fbres. So the frst step is all about
chemistry; the second one is about turning your chemical
product into a more useful, practical material.
Polyamides like Kevlar are polymers (huge molecules made of
many identical parts joined together in long chains) made by
repeating amides over and over again. Amides are simply
chemical compounds in which part of an organic (carbonbased) acid replaces one of the hydrogen atoms in ammonia
(NH3). So the basic way of making a polyamide is to take an
ammonia-like chemical and react it with an organic acid. This is

an example of what chemists call a condensation

reaction because two substances fuse together into one.

Kevlar's chemical structure naturally makes it form in tiny

straight rods that pack closely together, like lots of stiff new
pencils stuffed tightly into a box (only without the box). These
rods form extra bonds between one another (known as
hydrogen bonds) giving extra strengthas though you'd glued
the pencils together as well. This bonded rod structure is
essentially what gives Kevlar its amazing properties. (More
technically speaking, we can say the Kevlar rods are showing
what's called nematic behaviour (lining up in the same
direction), which is also what happens in the liquid crystals
used in LCDs (liquid crystal displays).)
HOW NOMEX IS DIFFERENT FROM KEVLAR AND WHY KEVLAR IS
WIDELY USED?

Both fbres are remarkably similar. Nomex is Meta

poly amide, Kevlar is Para. This substitution pattern around the
aromatic ring causes the different properties, Kevlar has a
greater elastic modulus making it tough whereas nomex
changes its conformation with heat (i.e. it absorbs heat and
changes chemically) hence its greater heat resistance. If I were
to speculate I'd expect a Kevlar fbre to be quite straight
whereas a nomex fbre would have a twist like DNA when
viewed with a microscope (this is just speculation) the extra
heat would be absorbed making that spiral straight.

The Kevlar flament will provide excellent thermal

stability equal to or better than Nomex. And the tensile
strength of Kevlar flament is four times that of Nomex. Kevlar
is a great fbre for both strength and fre-resistance.
Unfortunately, it is not for moisture management. Since Nomex
flament will no longer be available and only Kevlar flament will
be present, more inherently wicking fbres in a variety of blends
can be added. Wicking is an important factor in the thermal
liner. The liner must provide protection from heat, but must also
allow moisture to evaporate away from the skin. Moisture that
is directly adjacent to the skin can become heated in a fre and
cause scald burns. With our new designs using Kevlar flament
and inherently wicking yarns, wicking performance is greatly
enhanced. The net result is that wicking and moisture
management are improved, making for not only a stronger,
more heat- and fame-resistant liner, but a better wicking one
as well. These combined factors can only increase the overall
performance of the thermal liner and provide better protection
for the fre-fghter who is wearing it.

TABLE(2) FOR PROPERTIES OF COMMERCIAL

ARAMID FIBRES:
Fibre Type Density,(g/cm^3) %,Elongatio
n
Kevlar 29
1.43
3.6
Kevlar 49
1.45
2.8
Kevlar 119
1.44
4.4
Kevlar
1.45
3.3
129
Kevlar
1.47
1.5
149
Nomex
1.38
22

Modulus,Gp
a
70
135
55
99

Tenacity
20-23
20-26
N/A
N/A

143

18

17

5.8

. Kevlar is considered a high-tenacity fbre due to its

physical properties. This high strength and a capacity for
thermal stability make Kevlar ideal for use in turnout gear and it
has become, along with Nomex, a standard, well-known and
universally recognized fbre in the industry. It is a very strong,
durable fbre, is resistant to chemicals and it has excellent
dimensional stability, meaning it retains its shape very well.

The main difference between Nomex and Kevlar is that

Kevlar is MUCH stronger than Nomex and is difficult to cut. Just
ask someone that has used Kevlar instead of fbreglass over a
body tube. That is why Kevlar is used in "bullet proof vests"
(puncture resistant vests) and other high strength applications
like your shock cords or recovery harness.
Thats why Kevlar Is used as cut resistant fibre.

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF KEVLAR:

1) High tensile strength at low weight
2) Low elongation to break
3) High modulus
4) Low electrical conductivity
5) High chemical resistance
6) Low thermal shrinkage
7) High toughness
8) Excellent dimensional stability
9) Flame resistant

How Kevlar
fibres?

is

stronger

than

other

Kevlars chemical structure is made in a form of tiny

straight rods that are packed closely together like a lot of stuff
of pencils is put tightly in a box. This rod forms extra bond
between one another (hydrogen bond) giving extra strength to
the fbre. This bonded rod structure also gives many amazing
properties to the Kevlar. So thats why Kevlar is stronger than
other fbres.

COMPARISION TABLE (3) OF KEVLAR WITH OTHER HIGH

PERFORMANCE FIBRE

HOW KEVLAR IS PRODUCED?

You probably know that natural materials such as wool and
cotton have to be spun into fbres before they can turned into
useful textile productsand the same is true of artifcial fbres
such as nylon, Kevlar, and Nomex. The basic aramid is turned into
fbres by a process called wet spinning, which involves forcing a
hot, concentrated, and very viscous solution of poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide through a spinneret (a metal former a
bit like a sieve) to make long, thin, strong, and stiff fbres that are
wound onto drums. The fbres are then cut to length and woven
into a tough mat to make the super-strong, super-stiff fnished
material we know as Kevlar.
FIGURE(1)

The basic aramid is turned into fbres by a process

called wet spinning which involves forcing a hot, concentrated
and very vicious solution of poly Para phenylene teraphthalamide through spinneret to make it long, thin, strong and
stiff fbres that are wound onto drums. The fbres are then cut
to length and woven into a tough matt to make the super
strong super stiffed fnished material called Kevlar. The wet
spinning process causes the rods to straighten out fully and
align so they are all oriented in the same structure and thus
gives Kevlar an exceptionally high strength.
SAMPLE FIGURE (2) OF KEVLAR FIBRES:

FIGURE(3) CUT RESISTANCE GLOVES:

Figure(4) that shows difference in Behaviour during

spinning between Flexible and rigid polymer:

Figure(5) of Rod-like fibre structure by the radial

stacking of Hydrogen-bonded sheet.

WHAT
MAKES
KEVLAR SUCH A
GOOD
ANTIBALLISTIC
MATERIAL?
Figure(6) which shows two
brave fighter fight with each
other
and
wearing
good
antiballistic cloth for their safety:

If you've read our article on bullets, you'll know that

they damage thingsand peoplebecause they travel at high
speeds with huge amounts of kinetic energy. Although there's
no such thing as completely "bulletproof," materials
like bulletproof glass do a good job at protecting us by
absorbing (soaking up) and dissipating (spreading out) the
energy of a bullet.

WHATS THE ROLE OF BULLET WHEN IT STRIKES

AN OBJECT
When a bullet strikes an object, such as clothing,
a bullet entrance hole is created and in a lot of cases
the bullet will pass through the object and produce an exit hole
on the backside. Bullet entrance holes typically have very even
margins. Almost all non-contact bullet entrance holes will be
smaller in diameter than the bullet due to the elasticity of the
fabric. Some frmer materials and larger calibre bullets with
large hollow point cavities may cause bullet entrance holes to
be closer to the actual bullet's diameter but in most cases the
diameter of the bullet entrance hole will be of little help in
determining the calibre of the bullet.
Contact or near contact entrance holes and entrance
holes caused by a bullet that has struck an intermediate object
will typically have very uneven margins. Contact entrance
holes will typically show extreme damage to the material of a
garment. Generally speaking, the higher the velocity of the
cartridge the greater the damage to the garment in a contact
gunshot. Bullets that strike a target at an extreme angle will

usually leave an elongated hole. These holes typically will still

have fairly even margins.
It's not too uncommon for a grazing bullet to cause several
holes in a wrinkled or folded garment.
A common characteristic of bullet entrance holes is the
presence of bullet wipe residue. Not always apparent on
darker colour materials, bullet wipe residue is a darkened
ring around the immediate margins of the hole. This ring of
residue is caused by lead being wiped from the surface of
the bullet as it passes through the material. Lead bullets
normally leave the heaviest deposits of bullet wipe residue
but it is not unusual for jacketed bullets to also
deposit bullet wipe residue. Lead fouling in the barrel and
lead primer residues can be on the surface of a
jacketed bullet.

Chemically processing a garment for lead residues will

cause a pink reaction around the hole.
Bullet exit holes are really not much to talk about. Full-metaljacketed or round nosed bullets may leave holes that are
similar to bullet entrance holes but most will be absent
of bullet wipe residue. If bullet wipe residue is present it will
normally be very light and on the inside of the exit
hole. Bullet exit holes caused by fragmented or expanded
bullets usually have irregular margins and it's not too
uncommon for the bullet exit holes to be larger in diameter
than the original diameter of the bullet. Fragmented bullets will
typically grab the material of an object as it passes through
causing the material to be frayed outward.
Kevlar is an excellent antiballistic (knife-resistant)
material because it takes a great deal of energy to make a knife
passes through it. The tightly woven fbres of highly oriented
(lined-up) polymer molecules are extremely hard to move

apart: it takes energy to separate them. A knife pushed hard by

an attacker has its energy "stolen" from it as it tries to fght its
way through. If it does manage to penetrate the material, it's
considerably slowed down and does far less damage.
Although Kevlar is stronger than steel, it's about 5.5
times less dense (the density of Kevlar is about 1.44 grams per
cubic centimetre, compared to steel, which is round about 7.8
8 grams per cubic centimetre). That means a certain volume of
Kevlar will weigh 56 times less than the same volume of steel.
Think back to medieval knights with their cumbersome suits of
armor: in theory, modern Kevlar gives just as much protection
but it's light and fexible enough to wear for much longer
periods.

WHY WE USE PLY-TWISTED YARN

FOR CUT RESISTANCE FABRICS?
A cut-resistant ply-twisted yarn and fabrics made
from that yarn that are useful in protective garments, especially
garments known as turnout gear Which are useful for fre
fghters, but such fabrics and garments also have use in
industrial applications where workers may be exposed to
abrasive and mechanically harsh environments where fre and
fame protection is needed. The garments, which include coats,
coveralls, jackets, and/or pants, can provide protection against
fre, fame, and heat.
Most turnout gear commonly used by fre fghters in the
United States comprises three layers, each performing a
distinct function. There is an outer shell fabric often made from
fame resistant aramid fbre such as poly (meta-phenylene
iosphthalamide)
(MPD-I)
or
poly
(para-phenylene
terephthalamide) (PPD-T) or blends of those fbres With fame
resistant fbres such as polybenZimidaZoles (PBI).Adjacent to
the outer shell fabric is a moisture barrier and common
moisture barriers include a laminate of Crosstech.PTFE
membrane on a Woven MPD-I/PPD-T substrate, or a laminate of
neoprene on a fbrous Woven polyester/cotton substrate.
Adjacent the moisture barrier is an insulating thermal liner
which generally comprises a butt of heat resistant fbre.
The outer shell serves as initial fame protection while
the thermal liner and moisture barrier protect against heat

stress. Since the outer shell provides primary defence it is

desirable that this shell be durable and able to withstand
abrasion and resist tearing or cutting in harsh environments.
This invention provides for such a fabric that is preferably fame
resistant and has good tear, cut, and abrasion attributes.
There are a number of fabrics described in the prior art which
utilize bare steel Wires and cords, primarily as armoured
fabrics. For example,
(Bourgois et al) discloses a protective textile fabric
comprising a plurality of steel cords twisted together.
(Vanassche et al) discloses a fabric comprising steel
elements used to provide cut resistance or reinforcement
for protective textiles. The steel elements are either a
single steel wire, a bundle of non-twisted steel Wires, or a
cord of twisted steel fbres.
(Soar) discloses a protective material made from twisted
multi-strand cable which may be stitched to one or more
layers of Kevlar to form a unitary material. The use of
large quantities of bare metal Wire presents processing
challenges and garment aesthetic (comfort and feel)
problems and is undesirable.
(Bettcher) discloses a cut resistant yarn made by winding
a number of synthetic fbres yarns, such as nylon and
aramid, around a core of strands of stainless steel Wire
and a high strength synthetic fbre such as aramid, and a
safety garment made from the Wound yarn.
(Dunbar et al) discloses a protective fabric made from cut
resistant yarn comprising two dissimilar non-metallic
fbres. At least one being fexible and inherently cut
resistant and the other having a level of hardness at
above three Mosh on the hardness scale.
While inorganic laments such as steel can provide useful
cut resistance in fabrics, incorporating those inorganic
flaments into fabrics is not a trivial problem, especially when
combining those inorganic flaments with other continuous
organic flament yarns. Most multi flament yarns containing
continuous organic flaments have initial twist to maintain
cohesion of the yarn. If an inorganic flament is simply twisted
into the previously twisted yarns, the fnal yarn is too lively,
that is it has too much twist and tends to twist and Wrap onto
itself and snag during weaving, preventing high quality fabrics

from being produced. Further, if the inorganic flament is

combined with the multi-flament yarn without twist or with
very low twist, the resulting yarn will not have adequate
cohesion to be woven. The method that providing a twisted
yarn containing both multi-flaments yarns of continuous
flaments and continuous inorganic flaments that has low
liveliness and is easily woven into a fabric.
The present invention relates to a process for making a cutresistant ply-twisted yarn having good Weaving characteristics,
comprising the steps of
providing a frst multi-flament yarn comprising
continuous organic flaments, said frst yarn having a twist
in a frst direction of from 0.5 to 10 turns per inch;
providing a second yarn comprising 1 to 5 continuous
inorganic flament(s); and (3) ply-twisting the frst yarn
and the second yarn about each other 2 to 15turns per
inch in a second direction opposite to that of the twist in
the frst yarn to form a ply-twisted yarn. Such yarn has an
overall effective twist of +/5 turns per inch. The frst
multiflament yarn has a tensile strength of at least 4
grams per denier, preferably at least 20 grams per denier.
It is also preferred that the frst yarn include aramid
flaments and that the continuous inorganic flaments in
the second yarn include steel flament(s).
This invention also relates to the cut-resistant plytwisted yarn which comprises
A frst multi-flament yarn comprising continuous organic
flaments, said frst yarn having a twist in a frst direction
of from 0.5 to 10 turns per inch;
A second yarn comprising 1 to 5 continuous inorganic
flament(s); the frst yarn and the second yarn having a
ply-twist about each other of 2 to 15 turns per inch in a
second direction opposite to that of the twist in the frst
yarn, providing a cut-resistant ply-twisted yarn having an
overall effective twist of +/5 turns per inch. The frst
multi-flament yarn is a yarn having a tensile strength of
at least 4 grams per denier, and preferably at least 20
grams per denier. It is also preferred that the frst yarn
include aramid flaments and that the second yarn
includes steel flament(s).

Woven fabric useful in protective apparel made from

yarn components comprising a body fabric yarn component and
a cut-resistant yarn component, the cut-resistant yarn
component comprising a ply-twisted yarn comprising
A frst multi-flament yarn comprising continuous organic
flaments, and
A second yarn comprising 1 to 5 continuous inorganic
flament(s); said ply-twisted yarn having an overall
effective twist of +/5 turns per inch.
The body fabric yarn component and the cut-resistant yarn
component are comprised of at least one yarn and each yarn
component is distinguished from the adjacent yarn component
by interweaving orthogonal yarn components. It is preferred
that the frst yarn of the cut resistant yarn component
comprises poly (p-phenylene terephthalamide) flaments. The
frst yarn of the cut-resistant yarn component may include freresistant flaments, and in addition to fre-resistant flaments,
nylon fbres in an amount of up to 20% by Weight of the cutresistant yarn component may be included in the cut-resistant
yarn component. It is preferred that the body fabric component
comprises yarns of fre-resistant fbres.
This invention is also directed to a Woven fabric useful in
protective apparel made from yarn components comprising a
body fabric yarn component, a cut-resistant yarn component
comprising a ply-twisted yarn comprising a frst multi-flament
yarn comprising continuous organic flaments, and a second
yarn comprising 1 to 5 continuous inorganic lament(s); said plytwisted yarn having an overall effective twist of +/5 turns per
inch. The body fabric yarn component and the cut-resistant
yarn component are comprised of individual Warp and fll yarns
in the fabric, and every ffth to ninth orthogonal Warp and fll
yarn component is a cut-resistant yarn component. In another
embodiment of this Woven fabric cut resistant yarn component
is only present in either the Warp or the fll yarn components
but not both.
This invention is also directed to a process for making a
Woven fabric useful in protective apparel comprising the steps
of Weaving a fabric from a body fabric yarn component, and
inserting into the Weave at every ffth to ninth Warp and fll
component a cut-resistant yarn component comprising a plytwisted yarn comprising a frst multiflament yarn comprising

continuous organic flaments, and a second yarn comprising 1

to 5 continuous inorganic flament(s); said ply-twisted yarn
having an overall effective twist of +/5 turns per inch.
Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a process
for making a Woven fabric useful in protective apparel made
from Warp and fll yarn components comprising weaving a
fabric from a body fabric yarn component, and inserting into
the Weave at every ffth to ninth Warp and/or fll component a
cut-resistant yarn component to create an array of cut resistant
yarn components, each component comprising a ply-twisted
yarn comprising a frst multi-flament yarn comprising
continuous organic flaments, and a second yarn comprising 1
to 5 continuous inorganic flament(s); said ply-twisted yarn
having an overall effective twist of +/5 turns per inch in the
second direction.
This invention relates to cut-resistant ply-twisted yarn,
process for making a ply-twisted yarn, fabrics containing plytwisted yarn as a cut-resistant component, and methods for
making fabric containing ply-twisted yarn as a cut resistant
component. A ply-twisted yarn or a plied yarn is a yarn made by
twisting two other yarns together, generally on a twister. Plytwisted yarns are well known in the art and are twisted about
one another in a simple manner and upon inspection is it clear
that a ply-twisted yarn is composed of separate yarns. Plytwisted yarns are generally more fexible, and therefore more
desirable for apparel, than yarns made by completely winding
or Wrapping one yarn with another yarn by serving one yarn
around the other yarn. These wrapped yarns have a
sheath/core structure and are not plied yarns. Improved cut
resistance can be had by the addition of only a few inorganic
flaments to a multi-flament yarn made of continuous organic
flaments. In fact, the addition of only 1 metal flament provides
a substantial increase in the cut resistance of fabrics made
from such yarns. However, it is desirable to incorporate that
yarn as much as possible into the organic multiflament bundle
to increase the cohesiveness of the yarn and allow the
inorganic-reinforced yarn to process in weaving equipment as
though the inorganic or metal flament(s) was (were) not
present. Typically, cohesiveness is provided to continuous
flament yarns via twist. However, the combination of the
inorganic flament yarn having only a few flaments, with a
larger multiflament yarn with many flaments, presents some

unique problems. The larger multiflament yarn already has a

level of twist to provide it with cohesiveness. When the small
inorganic flament yarn is combined with the larger
multiflament yarn, additional twist is added to the
multiflament yarn. This result in an unacceptable level of twist
in the fnal yarn, and such yarns are said to be too lively to be
woven efficiently into fabrics. That is, the yarns have so much
twist that if one were to hold either end of the yarn with
minimal tension the yarn would tend to twist and Wrap around
it creating knots. These same knots would form and snag in
processing equipment.
The ply-twisted yarn of this invention contains a frst multiflament yarn of continuous organic flaments having a twist in
a frst direction of 0.5 to 10 turns per inch. The ply-twisted yarn
in addition contains a second yarn comprising l to 5 continuous
inorganic flament(s). The frst and second yarns are ply-twisted
together 2 to 15 turns per inch in a second direction, which is
opposite to the twist direction in the frst yarn, giving the plytwisted yarn an effective twist level in the range of +/5 turns
per inch. By effective twist level it is meant the algebraic sum
of the turns per inch, taking the multi-flament twist direction as
being negative and the ply twist direction as being positive. For
example, if the multi-flament yarn has twist level of 5 turns per
inch in one direction and the ply twist level is 7 turns per inch in
the opposite direction, the effective twist level is 5+7:2 turns
per inch. If the multiflament yarn has a twist level of 4 turns
per inch and the ply twist level is 2 turns per inch in the
opposite direction the effective twist level is 4+2:2 turns
per inch. It is desirable that the effective twist level be between
2 and 2 and it is preferred that the effective twist level be
positive. It is believed that positive effective twist levels provide
more cohesiveness and mixing of the smaller inorganic yarn
with the larger multi-flament yarn due to partial unwrapping of
the multiflament continuous flament yarn during ply-twisting.
The multiflament continuous flament yarn should have a
tensile strength of at least 4 grams per denier and it is
preferred that the yarn contain flaments which are fre
resistant. Suitable fre-resistant flaments include those made
from aramids such as poly (para-phenylene terephthalamide)
(PPD-T), poly (meta-phenylene isophthalamide) (MPD-I), and
other high strength polymers such as poly phenylene
benZobisoxaZole (PBO) and/or blends or mixtures of those

fbres. Multi-flament continuous yarns having a tensile strength

of at least 20 grams per denier are preferred and the preferred
high strength cut resistant flaments are made from PPD-T. The
multiflament yarn can also include some other materials to the
extent that decreased cut resistance, due to that other
material, can be tolerated. For example the multi-flament yarn
can also have, combined with or in addition to the cut resistant
flaments, up to 20 per cent by Weight nylon flaments for
improved abrasion resistance.
The multi-flament continuous flament yarn has preferred ably
a denier in the range of 200 to 1000 denier, and after plytwisting with the inorganic flaments the cut resistant plytwisted yarn has a denier preferably in the range of 320 to
1400 denier. The continuous organic multi-flament yarn is plytwisted with a yarn containing 1 to 5 continuous inorganic
flaments. Inorganic flaments useful in this invention include
glass flaments or flaments made from metal or metal alloys.
The preferred continuous inorganic flament yarn is a single
metal flament made from stainless steel. By metal flament is
meant a flament or Wire made from a ductile metal such as
stainless steel, copper, aluminium, bronze, and the like. The
metal flaments are generally continuous Wires and are 10 to
150 micrometres in diameter, and are preferably 25 to 75
micrometres in diameter. The preferred inorganic flament is a
35 micrometre diameter stainless steel flament. The preferred
ply-twisted yarn is constructed by combining a 600 denier PPDT continuous flament yarn having 2 turns per inch in the S
direction With a continuous metal flament yarn containing one
35 micrometre diameter stainless steel flament and plytwisting the two yarns 4 turns per inch in the Z direction,
resulting in a ply-twisted yarn having a effective twist level of 2.
FIG. 7 is an illustration of a ply-twisted yarn 1 of this invention.
The ply-twisted yarn is made from a frst multiflament
continuous flament yarn 2 having flaments 3 twisted in a frst
direction. The multiflament yarn is plied in the opposite
direction with a second yarn comprising 1 to 5 continuous
inorganic flament(s). Shown in the fgure is one continuous
inorganic flament 4.
The fabrics made with the ply-twisted yarn of this
invention have in combination improved cut resistance and
improved tear resistance over prior art fabrics and preferably
have improved abrasion resistance. The fabrics are Woven

using known machines for weaving fabric and can be

incorporated into protective apparel and garments of various
types. These fabrics typically Weigh in the range of 4 to 12
ounces per square yard and can be any orthogonal Weave;
however plain Weave and 2x1 twill weave are the preferred
Weaves.

FIGURE (7) is illustration of a ply-twisted yarn made

from a twisted multifilament yarn of continuous organic
filaments and a yarn consisting of a single inorganic
filament.

FIGURE (8) is an illustration of some of the possible yarn

components in the fill direction separated by
interweaving orthogonal Warp yarn components in the
fabric of this invention.

There are two types of yarn components, a body fabric yarn

component and a cut resistant yarn component having
incorporated therein a cut resistant ply twisted yarn. The body
yarn component can be a yarn, a plied yarn, or a combination
of yarns or a combination of plied yarns. The cut resistant yarn
component can have, in addition to the ply-twisted yarn,
another yarn, plied yarn, combination of yarns, or combination
of plied yarns. In general, each yarn component lying in one
direction of a Woven fabric is distinguished from the adjacent
yarn component in that same direction by interweaving
orthogonal yarn components. In a plain Weave, for example,
the Warp and fll yarn components are interwoven wherein the
Warp yarn components go over and under the fll yarn
components, delineating each fll yarn component and
distinguishing it from the adjacent fll yarn component.
Likewise, adjacent Warp yarn components alternate the
direction of the interweave with the fll yarn; that is, a frst Warp
yarn component Will go over a fll yarn component and a
second adjacent Warp yarn component Will go under that same
fll yarn component. This alternate interweaving action is
duplicated throughout the fabric creating the classic plain
weave structure. Therefore, the fll yarn components also
delineate each Warp yarn component from adjacent Warp yarn
components. In a twill weave, the Warp and fll yarn
components are interpreted the same even though there is less
actual interweaving of Warp and fll yarn components. In a 2x1
twill Weave, the offset staggered interweaving structure of that
Weave means a Warp yarn component passes over more than
one fll yarn component and lies directly adjacent to another
Warp yarn component periodically in the fabric. However, the
Warp and fll yarn components are still delineated by each other
even if they are offset or staggered in the fabric, and the yarn
components can be clearly identifed by inspection. Typically,
the major portion of the fabric is made from body fabric yarn
components and these components normally comprise yarns
containing fre-resistant fbre. The term fre resistance fbre as
used herein means staple or flament fbre of polymers
containing both carbon and hydrogen and which may also
contain other elements such as oxygen and nitrogen, and which
have a LOI 25 and above. Suitable fre-resistant fbre include
poly (meta-phenylene

Isophthalamide)
(MPD-I),
poly
(para-phenylene
terephthalamide) (PPD-T), polybenZimidaZoles (PBI), polyphenylene benZobisoxaZole (PBO), and/or blends or mixtures of
those fbre. For improved abrasion resistance, the body
fabric yarn components can have in addition to the fre
resistant fbre up to 20 per cent by Weight nylon fbre,
preferably less than 10 percent by Weight. The body fabric yarn
components are preferably staple yarns containing 60 weight
per cent PPD-T fbre and 40 Weight per cent PBI fbre. The
preferred form and size of the body fabric yarn component is a
plied yarn of the above composition having a cotton count in
the range of 16/2 to 21/2.
The cut-resistant yarn component of the fabric is
useful in providing both cut resistance and tear strength to the
fabric. The cut resistant yarn component contains at least one
cut resistant ply-twisted yarn comprising a frst multiflament
yarn of continuous organic flaments having a twist in a frst
direction plied with a second yarn comprising 1 to 5 continuous
inorganic flament(s). The frst and second yarns are plied
together in a second direction which is opposite to the frst
direction. It is preferred that the cut resistant yarn component
contain flaments which are fre-resistant. Suitable fre-resistant
flaments include those made from aramids such as poly (paraphenylene terephthalamide) (PPDT), poly (meta-phenylene
isophthalamide) (MPD-I), and other high strength polymers such
as poly-phenylene benZobisoxaZole (PBO) and/or blends or
mixtures of those fbre. The preferred fre resistant and cut
resistant fbre is PPD-T fbre. The yarn can also include some
fbre of other materials to the extent that decreased cut
resistance, due to that other material, can be tolerated. The cut
resistant yarn component can also have, incorporated in the
multiflament continuous flament yarn, or in the plied yarn as a
separate entity, up to 10 Weight percent and as much as 20
percent by weight nylon fbre for improved abrasion resistance.
The total denier of the cut resistant yarn component may be in
the range of 320 denier to 1400 denier and the denier of
continuous organic multiflament yarns suitable for use in the
cut resistant yarn component may be in the range of
200-1000 denier. The continuous organic multiflament yarn is
plied with a yarn containing 1 to 5 continuous inorganic
flaments. Inorganic flaments useful in this invention include
glass flaments or flaments made from metal or metal alloys.

The preferred continuous inorganic flament yarn is a single

metal flament made from stainless steel. By metal flament is
meant a flament or Wire made from a ductile metal such as
stainless steel, copper, aluminium, bronze, and the like. The
metal flaments are generally continuous Wires and are 10 to
150 micrometres in diameter, and are preferably 25 to 75
micrometres in diameter. FIG. 2 is a very simplifed illustration
of some of the possible fll yarn components separated by
interweaving orthogonal Warp yarn components (flament
diameters in the yarns are not to scale but magnifed for
illustration purposes). Body fabric yam components 5 made
from,
for example, a collection of two plied staple yarns, are shown
separated from such things as other body yarn components and
cut resistant yarn components 6 by the interweaving Warp yarn
component 7. Cut resistant yarn component 6 is shown having
the preferred combination of types of yarns, namely a plytwisted yarn of multiflament continuous organic flaments 8
and a inorganic flament yarn containing one stainless steel
flament 9. The body fabric yarn component 5 can be made up
from a combination of single yarns and/ or plied yarns. Similar
types of yarn components can be, and preferably are, present
in the Warp direction. The Woven fabric of this invention
typically has a predominance of body fabric yarn components
with only enough of the cut resistant yarn components to allow
the fabric to perform in the fabrics intended use. It is desirable
to have cut resistant yarn components in both the Warp and fll
directions. Further, it is desired to uniformly distribute the cut
resistant yarn components throughout the fabric in both the
Warp and fll directions so that the durability imparted by the
cut resistant yarn component is uniform across the fabric.
Further, it is believed that the most useful fabrics are made
when the cut resistant yarn component is distributed in the
fabric as every ffth to ninth orthogonal Warp and fll yarn
component in the fabric, with the preferred spacing having a
cut resistant yarn component every seventh Warp and fll yarn
component. FIG. 3 is an illustration of one embodiment of the
fabric of this invention with the warp and flls yarn components
shown broadly separated and simplifed for illustration
purposes. Cut resistant yarn components 10 are shown in both
the Warp and fll and are present as every eighth component in

the fabric. Body fabric yarn components 11 are shown in both

the Warp and fll between the cut resistant yarn components.
This invention is also directed to a process for making a
cut resistant Woven fabric comprising Weaving a fabric from a
body fabric yarn component and inserting into the Weave at
every ffth to ninth Warp and fll component a cut resistant yarn
component comprising the cut resistant ply-twisted yarn of this
invention. In another embodiment of this invention, the Woven
fabric of this invention is made from body fabric yarn
components and cut resistant yarn components wherein the cut
resistant yarn components are present in only the Warp or the
fll of the fabric, creating a parallel array of those cut resistant
components in the fabric. FIG. 4 is an illustration of this type of
fabric. The cut resistant yarn components 10 are shown only in
the Warp direction and all other Warp yarns are body fabric
yarn components 11. The yarn components shown in the fll
direction are all body fabric yarn components 11.
The fabrics of this invention are useful in and can be
incorporated into protective garments, especially garments
known as turnout gear which are useful for fre-fghters. These
garments also have use in industrial applications where workers
may be exposed to abrasive and mechanically harsh
environments where fre and fame protection is needed. The
garments may include coats, coveralls, jackets, pants, sleeves,
aprons, and other types of apparel where protection against
fre, fame, and heat is needed.

TEST METHOD:

THERMAL PROTECTIVE PERFORMANCE TEST

(TPP):

The predicted protective performance of a fabric in

heat and fame was measured using the Thermal Protective
Performance Test NFPA 2112. A fame was directed at a section
of fabric mounted in a horizontal position at a specifed heat
fux (typically 84 kW/m2). The test measures the transmitted
heat energy from the source through the specimen using a
copper slug calorimeter and there is no space between fabric
and heat source. The value assigned to a specimen in this test,
denoted as the TPP value, is the total heat energy required to
attain the endpoint, or the direct heat source exposure time to
the predicted burn injury multiplied by the incident heat fux.
Higher TPP values denote better insulation performance. A

three layer testing sample is prepared consisting of outer shell

fabric (current invention), a moisture barrier and a thermal
liner.

ABRASION RESISTANCE TEST:

Abrasion resistance was determined using ASTM

method D3884-80, with a H-18 Wheel, 500 gms load on a Taber
abrasion resistance available from Teledyne Taber, 455 Bryant
St., North TonaWanda, N.Y. 14120. Taber abrasion resistance is
reported as cycles to failure.

CUT RESISTANCE TEST:

Cut resistance was measured using the Standard Test
Method for Measuring Cut Resistance of Materials Used in
Protective Clothing, ASTM Standard F 1790-97. In performance
of the test, a cutting edge, under specifed force, was drawn
one time across a sample mounted on a mandrel. At several
different forces, the distance drawn from initial contact to cut
through Was recorded and a graph constructed of force as a
function of distance to cut through. The normalized force was
reported as the cut resistance force. The cutting edge was a
stainless steel knife blade having a sharp edge 70 millimetres
long. The blade supply was calibrated by using a load of 400 g
on a neoprene calibration material at the beginning and end of
the test. A new cutting edge was used for each cut test. The
sample was a rectangular piece of fabric cut 50X100
millimetres on the bias at 45 degrees from the warp and fll
directions. The mandrel was a rounded electrical conductive bar
with a radius of 38 millimetres and the sample was mounted
thereto using double-face tape. The cutting edge was drawn
across the fabric on the mandrel at a right angle with the
longitudinal axis of the mandrel. Cut through was recorded
When the cutting edge makes electrical contact with the
mandrel.

TEAR STRENGTH TEST:

The tear strength measurement is based on

ASTM D 5587-96. This test method covers the measurement of
the tear strength of textile fabrics by the trapezoid procedure
using a recording constant-rate-of-extension-type (CRE) tensile
testing machine. Tear strength, as measured in this test
method, requires that the tear be initiated before testing. The
specimen was slit at the centre of the smallest base of the

trapezoid to start the tear. The nonparallel sides of the marked

trapezoid were clamped in parallel jaws of a tensile testing
machine. The separation of the jaws was increased
continuously to apply a force to propagate the tear across the
specimen. At the same time, the force developed was recorded.
The force to continue the tear was calculated from autographic
chart recorders or microprocessor data collection systems. Two
calculations for trapezoid tearing strength were provided: the
single-peak force and the average of fve highest peak forces.
For the examples of this patent, the single-peak force is used.

GRAB STRENGTH TEST:

The grab strength measurement, which is a
determination of breaking strength and elongation of fabric or
other sheet materials, is based on ASTM D5034. A 100-mm (4.0
in.) Wide specimen is mounted centrally in clamps of a tensile
testing machine and a force applied until the specimen breaks.
Values for the breaking force and the elongation of the test
specimen are obtained from machine scales or a computer
interfaced with testing machine.
TABLE(4) OF TESTING RESULT OF THE FABRIC SAMPLE
TEST TYPE
STANDARD
5 BOBY YARN
KEVLAR/PBI BLEND
COMPONENT OF
WITH DOUBLE
KEVLAR/PBI BLEND
ENDS IN RIPSTOP
IN TWILL WEAVE
COMPONENT
AND 1 END OF
KEVLAR 600
DENIER PLIED WITH
35 MICROMETRE
STAINLESS STEEL
WIRE
BASIC WT.(g/m^2)
257.6
267.8
THICKNESS(mm)
0.66
0.75
TRAP
13.1X12.3
71.8X58.7
TEAR(warpXfll Kg)
GRAP STRENGTH
119.4X105.3
152.1X163.9
(warpXfll Kg )
ABRASION(cycle)
184
232

CUT RESISTANCE(g)
TTP(cal/cm^2)

Graph(1)
fibres

GRAPH 2

469
42

715
39.3

show How Kevlar is different from other

GRAPH 3

PROPERTIES OF FABRIC AFFECTING

THE CUT RESISTANCE:
Fabric construction, thickness, weight, the number of yarn
(thread density) and interlacing per unit area are the fabric
properties affecting abrasion. Weave type has a signifcant
effect on abrasion resistance of the fabrics. Woven fabric
properties will differ by changing the weave pattern which is
evaluated not only as an appearance property, but also as a
very important structure parameter. If one set of yarns is
predominantly on the surface then this set will wear most; this
effect can be used to protect the load bearing yarns
preferentially. Long yarn foats and a low number of interlacing
cause the continuous contact area of one yarn strand to expand
and this facilitates the yarn to lose its form more easily by
providing easier movement as a result of the rubbing motion.
So long foats in a weave such as sateen structures are more
exposed and abrade faster, usually cause breaking of the yarns
and increasing the mass loss. In this way, holding the fbres in
the yarn structure becomes harder and the removal of fbre
becomes easier. But the fabrics that have lower foats such as
fat plain weave fabrics have better abrasion resistance than
other weaves because the yarns are more tightly locked in
structure and the wear is spread more evenly over all of the
yarns in the fabric.
Like as woven structure, knitting structure has also
an important effect on abrasion characteristics of knitted
fabrics. Average abrasion resistance values of interlock knitted
fabrics are higher than rib and single jersey fabrics. The reason
of that is more stable, thicker and voluminous structure of the
interlock fabrics .Course length for the knitted fabrics is so
important that the weight loss per cent after abrasion increases
with increasing course length. Open, slack knitted fabric
structure is abraded more than denser fabrics.
The fabric mass per square meter and fabric
thickness that are the main structural properties of fabrics have
an effect on abrasion resistance. Higher values of these factors
ensure higher abrasion resistance. The other parameter that
affects the abrasion is thread density of the fabric. The more
threads per unit area in a fabric are the less force to each
individual thread is, therefore the fabrics with a tight structure

have higher abrasion resistance than those with a loose

structure. However as the threads become jammed together
they are the unable to defect under load and thus absorb the
distortion.

WOVEN FABRICS
METHODS
FABRIC SAMPLES
Fabrics of different constructions are
set and made from 100% cotton yarn were selected for
determining the cut resistance, so as to fnd the effect of weave
pattern and fabric tightness on cut resistance. The type of
weaves selected were plain, 3/1 twill,2/2 matt and 8 end
honeycomb weave . Out of this, 3/1 twill weave was selected
and fabrics of different picks per inch were constructed so as to
observe the effect of fabric cover factor on cut resistance. To
study the effect of fbre material on cut resistance fabric woven
from Kevlar, HDPE, NYLON mono flament and multi flament
yarns were chosen.

TEST METHOD
Counting glass was used to count the end and pick densities
and an average of 10 reading were taken.
TABLE 5

The linear density of warp and weft yarns form fabric war
determined using the Beasley balance. An average of 5
readings was taken to determine the fabric weight per unit
area, the fabric sample of 10cmX10cm was weighed on an

electronic balance to calculate the fabric weight in gram per

square metre.
TABLE 6

The thickness of textile material as defned by the ASTM is the

distance between the upper and the lower surface of the
material, measured under specifed pressure of 20 gram per
square metre. The thickness of the fabric was measured by
Essdiel thickness tester. The physical parameters of cotton and
high performance fabrics are given in the above mentioned
table. The measurement of cut resistance of various fabrics was
carried out on an indigenously developed instrument.
A strip of reference material (Tefon) of 0.25mm thickness and a
strip of fabric of dimension 6cmX2cm are mounted adjacent to
each other on mandrel. The distance travel by mandrel to make
a cut in the reference material and in the fabric was determined
alternatively. Finally the cut resistance of the fabric is expressed
in terms of an index which is the ratio of the distance travelled
by mandrel to make a cut in the fabric to the distance travelled
to make a cut in the reference material and is refer to as the
cut resistance index. The speed of mandrel and the normal load
during cutting for 100 % cotton fabric were 70cm /min and
250gm respectively. For high performance fabric the normal
load was kept at 750 gms.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:

CUT RESISTANCE OF COTTON FABRIC
The effect of the weave pattern on cut resistance index
of the 100% cotton woven fabrics along warp and weft direction
are shown in the graph below.

GRAPH 4

GRAPH 5

In the fabrics samples C5,C6, C7 and C8 the only difference is

the weave pattern and yarn linear density,thread count and
cover factors are same.The result revelled that the plain weave
has maximum cut resistance followed by 2X2 matt weave and
the 3/1 twill , while the honeycomb weave exhibit least cut
rsistance.The similar trend is observed both in warp and weft
direction.This can be attributed to the great number of
intersection per unit area of the plain weave which enablesthe
cutting force to be shared by great number of threads and
hence higher cut resistance.The honeycomb weave has very
poor cut resistance as compared to other weaves because of its
rough surface
Which ultimately increases the friction between the cutting
edge and fabric and thus providing a better grip resulting in
poor cut resistance.
In general the cut resistance index of all weaves in the warp
direction is slightly higher than weft direction.This can be

attributed to the higher number of warp yarns as comparred to

weft yarns per unit length.
The impact of pick density on cut resistance in warp and
weft direction in the fabric sample C1,C2,C3 and C4 the weave
pattern, yarn linear density and the warps per unit length are
same and the only difference is the pick density.This can be
attributed to the increased no of threads which has to take up
the same cutting force as that by other fabrics.

CUT RESISTANCE BY HIGH PERFORMANCE

FABRICS:
The results on cut resistance index of different high
performance fabrics in warp and weft direction as shown in
graph below
GRAPH 6

The fgure shows the highest cut resistance for kevlar

fabric(HP5) in both warp and weft direction while the lowest
cut resistance is shown by nylon multi-flament. The
HDPE(HP3)shows cut resistance more in warp direction than
weft direction
The highest cut resistance of the aramid fabric is due to its low
compressibility and hence when normal load applied there is no
plastic deformation of the fabric and thus greater energy is
dissipated in sliding to make a cut. This may also be due to less
frictional force as the lower contact area between the fabric
surface and the cutting blades.
So for this reason Kevlar has the highest cut resistance.
The poor resistance of HDPE fabric in the weft direction may be
attributed to the very low pick density compared to the end
density. The cutting resistance in warp and weft direction of
nylon multi-flament is found to be same.

KNITTED FABRICS:

There have been some research and development related trials

to apply textile material as body protection against stabbing.
1. Mayo et al found that the cut resistance of woven aramid
fabric was increased by integrating thermoplastic.
2. Decker and Leonowicz integrated shearing thickening fuid
into textile to enhance the stab resistance, respectively.
3. Olszewska investigated the application possibility of
magneto rheological fuids in textile multi-layered systems
for multi-threat protections.
4. Wang and Decker focused on the modelling or simulation
of a knife stab in textile armors. Commonly stab-resistant
textile structures theoretically studied or commonly used
are based on woven fabrics, nonwoven fabric and their hybrids.
5. Only Flam bard and Polo [9] used weft knits as a basic stab
resistance textile structure. No studies published focus on
warp knitted fabrics. In the past, researches on woven
fabric, knitted fabric and nonwoven fabric indicated that
different textile structures exhibited different stab
resistant behaviour, with each structure having both
advantages and disadvantages. With poor resistance to
sharpened instruments such as a spike, knitted fabrics are
seldom recommended as stab resistant textile materials.

WARP KNITTED FABRICS:

Warp knitted fabric is a kind of knit whose warps
form interlocked loops along the length i.e. in the direction of
warp. The behaviour of warp knits is almost between that of
weft knits and woven fabrics. For the purpose of studying the
characteristic of warp knitted structure with respect to stab
resistance, samples are subject to quasi-static loadings from a
standard knife. The comparative performance and behaviour of
the various warps knitted structures give a reference for the
design and optimisation of stab resistant body armour.
Experiment:
Sample preparation:
Flexible stab resistant armour uses high performance Fibre such
as aramid and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene
(UHMWPE). Single faced warp knitted fabric with two fully
threaded guide bars were produced from UHMWPE (Beijing Tong

Yingzhong Specialty Fibre Technology & Development Co. LTD,

China) flament yarns with a count of 27.8 Tex (250 den).
Considering an appropriate needle gauge, Karl Mayers E22
Rachel double needle bar machine was used to knit fve single
face structures of samples with only one needle bar. The same structure with different taken-up densities was also knitted.
Subsequently the warp knitted fabrics were washed at 90
degrees Celsius for 20 minutes under fresh water and heat set
at 110 degrees Celsius at a speed of 19 meters per minute
through 8 drying ovens.
TESTING:
Quasi-static stab testing of the samples was carried out. An
electronic fabric strength tester was modifed to act as a quasistatic stab resistant tester by changing the bursting head to an
asymmetric knife with a single-edged blade. The size and shape
of the knife is shown in a transducer was placed on top of the
knife to record the penetration load. The samples were cut into
circles with an 8 cm diameter and put in a ring clamp under the
knife. The knife was then driven into the ring clamped sample
at a constant rate of 20 mm/min and stopped when the attenuation of the load was 90%.
Warp knitted fabric has loop interlocked wales along the
lengthwise which are
Connected by the angled underlaps. The technical face shows
the loops with the legs almost oriented lengthwise. However,
the technical back shows the underlaps. Thus warp knitted
fabric not only depicts anisotropy, but also has different
structures between the two sides. For these reasons, testing
was carried out at different penetration angles (0, 45 and
90) and on both sides, i.e. technical face and technical back.
Figure 7 shows three penetration angles on the technical face.
Each sample with a defned penetration side and angle was
tested fve times. The maximum load, displacement and energy
of penetration were measured and averaged. A load versus
displacement curve was established and destruction of the
textile structure observed.

FIGURE (7) OF PENETRATION ANGLES OF TECHNICAL FACE:

Results and discussion:

General behaviour:
Stab threats can be classifed into two categories: puncture and
cut. The penetration process can be defned as windowing, cut
or damaged. The results were analysed according to the NIJ
Standard.
In the initial windowing, the peaked head of the knife punctured
the warp knitted fabric easily because the loop structure was
fairly loose. Fibres and yarns were extended and slipped rather
than broken, forming a penetrating window
FIGURE 8(a). The load was gradually increased at the same
time. In the second stage, i.e. cutting, the knitted loop structure
was deformed by the knifes penetration. When the windowing
reached the limit, with the gathering yarns compacted and no
more space present to extend further, the penetration force
reached the maximum threshold and the knife was almost
locked up . It was observed that yarns faced the cut from the
blade and fbres were gradually broken in FIGURE8(b). The third
is the so-called damaged phase where yarns started to break.
The knife penetrated through the fabric when a number of
yarns were broken and caused the whole structure to be
destroyed. The load started to drop until the knife had
completely penetrated the sample FIGURE8(c). The cutting
stage, the curves gradually become steeper and steeper until
the load reached the maximum yield. Corresponding to the
damage stage, the curves have waves representing yarns
breaks, and stop when the knitted structure fell apart and the
load slumped in FIGURE8(d).

Dense plain woven fab ric which had

been commercially used in the manufacturing of stab
resistance armour. It was used as a reference for the warp
knitted samples. The knife met with more resistance at the
beginning of puncturing sample 8. However, once the knife
pierced in, the warp or weft yarn at the edge of knife was cut
directly because dense interlaced points restricted the slippage
of yarns. The force of cutting a yarn applied was relatively
smaller and specifc yarn breakage did not cause the
disassembly of the woven structure. Other unbroken yarns kept
on restricting the penetration until a number of yarns had
broken; with the knife penetrating through the target
completely shows the load-displacement curve of sample 8.
The load increased with the displacement quickly as the knife
was driven into the fabric. Load waves starting from the frst
broken yarn and its displacement were found to be usually bigger than for warp knitted fabric.
It is observed that the
tightness of the textile structure is a key factor infuencing the
puncture and cut. A dense structure is benefcial in resisting the
puncture of the knife head, but made against yarn gathering to
resist the cut of a knife blade.

FIGURE (8) PENETRATION PROCESS OF WARP KNITTED

FABRIC

PENETRATION ANGLE:
With the penetration angle changed, the knifes stab
met with different parts of stitches, some of which were
stretched and cut directly, playing an important role in resisting
the penetration. Other parts produced corresponding deformation and decided the yarns slippage ability.
When the knife penetrated at an angle of 0, the
slit extended along the length. Mostly underlaps between the
wales came into contact with the edge of the knife, stretched
and suffered a direct cut. The loops shrank at the same time.
When the knife stabbed at an angle of 90, the slit extended
transversally. The legs of the loops became the main part to
bear the force, becoming displaced and cut directly. When the
penetration angle was changed to 45, the underlaps of one
bar may be parallel to the knife and have little effect on the
stab resistance. In contrast the underlaps of the counter
lapping guide bar played an important role in resisting the
penetration.

Although the knife penetrated

and cut different parts of stitches at different angles, the
distribution of the value at different angles has no
corresponding relationship in these two fgures, and six values
of every sample vary without any trend. No evidence shows
that some of the fve warp knitted structures performed better
or worse when they were penetrated at some angle. Thus the
penetration angle has no evident infuence on the stab resistance of warp knitted fabric.
Penetration side:
The penetration side determines which parts of stitches
withstand the knifes action frst. The penetrating knife meets
the loops on the technical face frst, while it meets the
underlaps on the technical back. In order to observe whether
the penetration side plays a role in stab resistance, the values
of the maximum force and energy of three penetration angles
on each side were averaged.
FIGURE(9) THAT COMPARES THE STAB RESISTANCE OF THE
TECHNICAL FACE WITH TECHNICAL BACK:

Figure 9 compares the stab resistance of the technical face

with technical back of samples 1 to 5. The length of underlaps
determines how many yarns resist the cut on the technical
back. Figure 9.a indicates that with the increasing length of
the underlaps, the knife met with more resistance on the
technical back than on the technical face. But longer underlaps
contribute little to the loops on the technical face in resisting
the cut. Figure 9.b shows that penetration on the technical

face mostly consumes more energy than that on the technical

back. By comparing the displacement at a maximum load in , it
is found that the technical face mostly exhibits more
penetration depth than that of the technical back. Thus it is
most likely that the greater deformation taking place on the
technical face absorbed the energy. Density is a key factor
which determined the tightness of the fabric. Samples 1, 6 and
7 have the same lapping but different densities of take down.
Figure 10 shows the maximum load as a function of the
density of the take down. Sample 1, with moderate density, has
the best stab resistance. Although a tight structure with higher
density is helpful to resist puncture, the little slippage space
may be a disadvantage for yarns are easily cut directly by the
blade of a knife.
FIGURE(10) OF RELATION BETWEEN MAX. LOAD AND TACKDOWN:

FIGURE(11) OF RELATION BETWEEN THE MAX. LOAD AND AREAL DENSITY:

The areal density of the fabric defnitely increases with the

density of take down and the increasing length of the under
lapping. Figure 11 shows the maximum load as a function of
the areal density for samples 1 to 5. The maximum load increases with the uneven increase in the areal density. The
specifc load is a key factor of the armour weight, thus it was
calculated by dividing the maximum load by the areal density.
In order to give more rational evaluation to different structures,
the specifc load of each sample is compared in Figure 12. The
woven fabric shows a lower value than all warp knitted
samples.

FIGURE(12) OF SPECIFIC LOAD COMPARISION OF DIFFERENT

FABRICS:

WEFT KNITTED FABRICS:

Materials normally used in the equipment for
personnel protection are usually based high performance fbers
like
glass,
carbon
or
ultra-high
molecular
weight
polyethylene(UHMW-PE) blended with conventional fbers like
polyester, cotton or polyamide to provide the required comfort
and fexibility . Ideally such garments should be fexible, pliable,
soft
and
cut/abrasion
resistant.
Unfortunately,
any
improvement in the cut and/or abrasion resistance has usually
been at the sacrifce of the other properties.
Knitted fabric was seldom commended to be used as stab
resistant materials. But studies have also pointed out that the
protective material based on knitted structure had the features
of low weight, better designability, fulflling wide-area
protection, etc. Multi-layer knitted fabric could absorb
penetration energy, and possessed a fairly well shearing
resistance, of which stitches locked the knife to stop
penetrating before the fabric was destroyed completely . Weftknitted structure could resist stronger penetration force through
the deformation of weft loops and self-locking, anyhow, it was
self-evident that fabric had a larger deformation, and a deeper
penetration . Structure and property of stab resistant warpknitted single-face fabric. The study found that the underloop
structure peculiar to warp-knitted fabric could stabilize the
stitch, and added the yarns agglomeration around knife edge,
which had an obvious advantage in penetration force and yarn
strength efficiency. The above studies revealed that the textile
structure mainly suffered shearing and tensile action when the

knife penetrated into the fabric. High-strength and good

shearing resistant fbers combining with tight textile structure
contributed to a good stab resistance. Besides, the fabric
distortion could absorb the penetration energy which could
improve the stab.
The aim of this study is to
develop single-layer weft knitted fabrics for cutting and
puncture protection to be used as protective clothing for police
agents, body-guards, etc. Different knitted fabrics have been
produced in an electronic fat knitting machine: single jersey,
crepe,
and moss tuck stitch, using variations on normal and tuck loops
in the coursewise and walewise directions. The selection of
these structures was justifed by their distinct deformation
geometry. Previous studies showed that low deformation
structures could absorb penetration energy easily, which could
improve the stab resistance. But structure also has a clear
infuence on
elongation due to the specifc geometry of each structure
(jersey, crepe and moss) and it improves stab resistance
performance.
Fabrics have been produced with
different materials including ultra-high molecular weight
polyethylene (UHMW-PE), para-aramid (p-AR), high tenacity
polyester (PES HT), high tenacity polypropylene (PP HT) and
high tenacity polyamide (PA HT). In order to study the
performance of each structure in combination with the different
materials, samples were tested under shear.

CHARACTERISTICS OF WEFT KNITTED

FABRICS:
Single jersey, crepe and moss tuck stitch weft knitted
fabrics were produced for this research (Figure 1) on a E10 Stoll
electronic fat knitting machine, with similar adjustment
parameters namely cams settings, yarn feeding tension and
fabric take down. In single jersey structure just normal loops on
a single needle bed are used; in the crepe structure normal and
tuck loops are combined in a single needle bed in the moss
tuck stitch structure the front and back needle beds are utilized
to combine tuck and normal loops. Table 2 shows the physical
characteristics of the weft knitted fabrics produced .

CUT:

Cut resistance performance was evaluated according to

standard EN388 for two samples with fve cuts each, using
Coup test device (Figure 3). This device consists of a circular
free-rotating blade, under pressure from a standard weight
(5N), which is moved backwards and Forwards over the surface
of the specimen over a fxed stroke length. Number of cycles
required for the blade to cut through the material is used to
calculate the Cut Index, varying from 0 to 5 (5 represents the
highest performance level).

FIGURE (13) OF COUP TEST DEVICE

Structures cut index

YARNS
STRUCTUR
E
1(JERSEY)

STRUCTUR
E2
(CREPE)

PES HT
PA HT
PP HT
UHMW-PE
p-AR

3
3
1
4
5

1
1
1
4
2

2.4
2.1
2.1
3.4
10.9

7.1
5.4
1.9
15.4
21.1

STRUCTUR
E3
(MOSS
TUCK
STICH)
4
10.5
2
3.4
2
4.5
5
33.4
5
48.4

Figure(14) of Structure of knitted fabric:

Cut resistance is defned as the ability of a

material to resist damage when challenged with a moving
sharp edge. The results presented in Table 5, show the
infuence of the fabrics structure and of the yarn type.
UHMW_PE moss tuck stitch fabrics present the highest cut
resistance performance while the jersey fabrics the lowest. The
increase in cut resistance is attributed to the good stretch (the
yarn moves and the blade actually slides across the yarn
without catching it to cut) and thickness in addition to the
tensile strength of yarn.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We would like to express our deep gratitude to Asst. Professor Dr. Rajesh Mishra
for their patient guidance, enthusiastic encouragement and useful critiques of this
project work.
We would like to thank our mentor Ing. Kasthuri Venkatesh for her advice and

assistance in keeping our progress on schedule.

My grateful thanks are for Dr. Rajesh Mishra and Ing. Kasthuri Venkatesh for our
project based on CUT RESISTANCE OF HIGH PERFORMANCE FIBRES.
We would like to thanks the Faculty of Textile Department for their help in offering
us internship at Technical University of Liberec.
We would also like to extend our heartily thanks to Head Of The Department Of
Textile Engineering , College of Engineering And Technology Dr. Bibhu Prasad Das
for his support and for allowing us to undergo internship under Technical university of
Liberec.
Finally we wish to thank our parents for their support and encouragement for our
internship.

CONCLUSION:
Kevlar is now being used in many high end
products, but still has a large usage and made very fast foray
into a vast range of products. This is all due to the virtue of the
properties it possesses. And in very near future Kevlar is going
to be used commonly in all work of life. From the above we
found that for the cut resistant, the count of the Kevlar should
be in between 150-170 Tex. i.e. count of Kevlar 29 found to be
167 Tex and count of Kevlar 49 is found to be 158 Tex. And also
we noticed that plied twisted yarn is more preferable than the
composite yarn as the plied gives more flexible and more
comfortable to fill.
The study on the effect of weave pattern on cut
resistance reveals that the plain weave has the maximum cut
resistance, while the minimum cut resistance is exhibited by
honeycomb weave. The study on the effect of fabric tightness
on cut resistance increases with increase in picks/inch of the
fabric. The study on the cut resistance of some high
performance fabrics shows a very high cut resistance of the
Kevlar fibre and the least cut resistance by nylon multi filament
along the warp direction and least cut resistance is shown by
HDPE fabric along the weft direction. So, from the above
observations we conclude that Kevlar has a very high cut
resistance and is the most appropriate fabric to be used for
protective clothing. warp knitted fabric was deformed,
stretched and cut during knife penetration. The primary
destruction of it was the breaking of yarns by cutting and
following stitch disassembly.
It was proved that the lapping, density of the take
down and the areal density were the factors which influenced
the stab resistance of warp knitted fabric. The fabric with
longer underlaps, regardless whether on front or back bar, had
better performance in resisting the stab. The fabrics with
longer underlaps on the front guide bar performed better than
those with the same length of underlaps on the back guide bar.
Although the tight structure was highly beneficial in resisting
the knifes puncture, appropriate stitch deformation of
moderate loop density led to the gathering of more yarns to
resist the knife cut, thereby restricting further knife
penetration. The specific maximum load and penetration

energy of warp knitted fabrics with different structures were

similar, and much better than those of woven fabric in the
study. Hence warp knitted fabrics of varying structure may be a
suitable hybrid in armour to meet the requirements of different
layers.
Though the warp knitted structure is anisotropic, the
test results showed that the penetration angle and side of the
knife have no significant effect on stab resistance. When warp
knitted fabric is used in stab resistant armour, the fabrics may
be laid without considering the direction and side
For overall assessment and analysis of the stab
resistance of warp knitted fabric, future work should be carried
out on dynamic stab resistance testing. Further study on the
quantitative relationship between the structure parameters of
warp knitted fabrics and stab resistance is required.
The effect of the weft knitted structure
on the fabric cut resistance has not been investigated enough.
Most work has focused particularly on multi-layered weft
knitted fabrics . The present study took into consideration the
cut resistance behaviour of single-layer weft knitted fabrics
(jersey, crepe and moss), produced with five types of high
performance yarns (PES HT, PA,HT, PP HT, UHMW-PE, and p-AR)
in order to investigate the effect of the fabric structure on the
mechanical protective performances. It was proved that due to
the tuck stitches, crepe and moss structures improved cut in
comparison with jersey structures. The cut resistance was
mainly attributed to the structure (stretching and thickness)
and to the yarns strength.

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