Damage caused to fibres by the action of two types of heat

Research into the specific types of damage to textiles and singular textile fibres caused by contact with a heating plate at a given temperature and with the open flame of a gas burner is presented. Experiments were carried out using a selection of textiles (fabrics and knits) differing in colour, fibre composition and textile construction. The characteristic changes that occur in different kinds of textiles and fibres after thermal degradation were observed through microscopic examinations—optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).