A Study of the Diameter Distribution and Tensile Property of Horse Tail Hair

ABSTRACT

The current research reviews a study of the variation in diameter along the Mongolian horse tail hair length, and its effect on tensile properties. Our results show that horse tail hair fibre has quite considerable changes in diameter from the root to the tip. There is a significant decrease in fibre diameter at the tip. A comparative study of single hair tensile characteristics has been reported in this paper. We have evaluated a simple statistical relationship between fibre diameter and fibre breaking values. The breaking load of tail hair fibres is significantly higher than the breaking load of sheep wool, yak hair and horse mane hair. Horse tail hair can be used as excellent fibres for producing compound hair yarn, upholstery and household fabric considering its fineness, length, strength, lustre, stiffness and hygroscopic properties.

KEYWORDS:

• Horse tail hair
• diameter
• tensile properties
• fibre fracture morphology

The authors are grateful to the French Embassy in Ulaanbaatar for its support and to the Laboratory of Textile Physics and Mechanics staff for their kind assistance.