Physical Properties of Sacred Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) Spun Yarns: the Effects of Cultivars

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to 1) study the evenness of the sacred lotus spun yarn and 2) study the effects of cultivars and stem parts of the sacred lotus on the physical properties of the lotus spun yarn. The materials used for this study were the stems of two cultivars of sacred lotus flower, namely Nelumbo nucifera ‘Album Plenum’ and N. nucifera ‘Roseum Plenum’, at the age of 3 months. The yarn spinning method applied was jute spinning. The yarns were tested for physical properties according to the method of American Society of Testing Materials Standards (ASTM). It was found that the evenness of the obtained spun yarns was classified as below grade D level. The obtained yarn numbers were 522.65-828.10 tex. The yarns made from ‘Roseum Plenum’ fibers had higher yarn number than the yarns of ‘Album Plenum’. The yarns from upper stem fibers had higher yarn number than the lower stem fibers yarn. The values of tenacity were
1.700-3.020 g/tex. The yarns made from ‘Album Plenum’ fiber had higher tenacity than the yarns made from ‘Roseum Plenum’ fibers. Tenacity of lower stem fibers yarn was higher than the yarns made from upper stem fibers. The values of elongation were 1.390-2.098%. The ‘Album Plenum’ yarns had higher elongation than the yarns made from ‘Roseum Plenum’ fibers. Lower stem fibers yarn had higher elongation than the yarns
made from upper stem fibers. The cultivars of the lotus significantly affected yarn number and tenacity. Parts of lotus stems significantly affected to yarn number, tenacity and elongation. Interaction between cultivars and stem parts of sacred lotus highly influenced to yarn number, tenacity and elongation.