Chemistry

Investigatory project

Topic-Effect of acid
and bases on tensile
strength of fibres
2023-2024
 Class XII-A
I take this opportunity to express my
prefound gratitude and my deep
regards to my guide Seema maam
(chemistry teacher) for her exemplary
guidance, monitoring and constant
encouragement throughout the
project. Her valuable guidance,
support and supervision all through
this project are responsible for
attaining this present form
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that

______________Siya Gupta______

Student of class XII-A

has successfully completed her

Chemistry Project on ‘Effect of acids and

bases on the tensile strength of fibre’

under my guidance.
Signature of external examiner

subject teacher
 Index
Sno. Topic Page no.
1. Aim 5
2. Introduction 6
3. Flowchart 8
4. Apparatus Chemicals 9
required
5. Experiment-1 10
(procedure)
6. Experiment-1(observation 11
table, precautions)
7. Experiment-2(procedure) 12
8. Experiment-2(diagram) 13
9. Experiment-2(observation 14
table, precautions)
10. Result 15
11. Bibliography 16
 AIM OF PROJECT

"Project Report Effects

of Acids & Bases on
the Tensile Strength of
Fibres"
"Project Report Effects
of Acids & Bases on
the Tensile Strength of
Fibres"
"Project Report Effects
of Acids & Bases on
the Tensile Strength of
Fibres"
"Project Report Effects
of Acids & Bases on
the Tensile Strength of
Fibres"
The objective of the project is to
determine the strength of different types
of fibres and the effect of alkali and
acid on the tensile strength of the fibre.
This project enables us to know which
is the appropriate one for the
appropriate use. One cannot judge the
 fibre thread by just looking but can
conclude after performing the following
experiments.

"Project Report Effects

of Acids & Bases on
the Tensile Strength of
Fibres"

introduction
Depending upon the
sources, the various
types of fibres can be
classified into the
following three main
categories:
(i) Animal fibres e.g.,
Wool & Silk.
(ii) Vegetable Fibres
e.g., Cotton & Linen.
(iii) Synthetic Fibres
e.g., Nylon &
Polyester
Introduction
Depending upon the sources, the various
types of fibres can be classified into the
following three main categories:
Animal fibres e.g.
(i) Wool & Silk.
(ii) Vegetable Fibres e.g., Cotton & Linen.
(iii) Synthetic Fibres e.g., Nylon &
Polyester
Besides their chemical composition and
properties, most important property of these
fibres is their tensile strength.
Tensile strength means the extent to which a fibre
can be stretched without breaking and it is
 measured in terms of minimum weight required
to break the fibre. To determine the tensile
strength of any fibre, it is tied to a
hook at one end and weighted are slowly added to
the other end
until the fibre break.
Since peptide bonds are more easily hydrolysed by
bases than acids
therefore, wool and silk are affected by basis not
by acids. It is
because of this reason that wool and silk threads
breakup into
fragments and ultimately dissolve in alkaline.
In other words, alkaline decreases the tensile
strength of animal
fibres (wool & silk). Vegetable fibres (cotton &
linen), on the other
hand, consist of long polysaccharide chains in
which the various
glucose units are joined by ethers linkage. Since
ethers are
hydrolysed by acids and not by bases therefore,
vegetable fibres are
affected by acids but not by bases. In other words,
acids decrease
the tensile strength of vegetable fibres. In contrast,
synthetics fibres
such as nylon & polyester practically remains
unaffected by both
acids and bases.
hook at one end and weighted are slowly added
to the other end until the fibre break. Since
peptide bonds are more easily hydrolysed by
bases than acids therefore wool and silk are
affected by basis not by acids.
It is because of this reason that wool and silk
threads breakup into fragments and ultimately
dissolve in alkaline. In other words, alkaline
decreases the tensile strength of animal fibres
(wool & silk).
Vegetable fibres (cotton & linen), on the other
hand, consist of long polysaccharide chains in
which the various glucose units are joined by
ethers linkage.
Since ethers are hydrolysed by acids and not by
bases therefore, vegetable fibres are affected by
acids but not by bases. In other words, acids
decrease the tensile strength of vegetable fibres.
 In contrast, synthetics fibres such as nylon &
polyester practically remains unaffected by both
acids and bases.
 Apparatus, Materials
and chemicals
required
 Apparatus required-
1. Hook
2. Weight hanger
3. weights.
 Materials and chemical required
Experiment1: Cotton, silk and nylon fibres
Experiment2: Wool, cotton and nylon fibres,
dilute solutions of hydrochloric acid and
sodium hydroxide
 Experiment-1
procedure:

i) Cut out equal lengths

of a cotton fibre, nylon
fibre and silk fibre
from the given sample of
nearly same dia.
i) Cut out equal lengths of a cotton fibre, nylon fibre
and silk fibre from the given sample of nearly
same dia.
ii) Tie one end of cotton fibre to a hook which has
been fixed in a

Observation table
Sr.no. Types of fibre Minimum
weight
1. cotton 75g
2. nylon 375g
3. silk 150g
Precautions
i) Thread must be of identical diameters.
ii) Always take the same length of the
threads.
iii) Add the weights in small amounts very
slowly.

EXPERIMENT-2
Procedure:
i) Cut out equal lengths of wool, cotton and
nylon threads from given sample of nearly
same diameter.
ii) Determine the tensile strength of each fibre
as explained in experiment-1.
iii) Soak the woollen thread in a dilute solution
of sodium hydroxide for five minutes. Take it
out from hydroxide solution and wash it
thoroughly with water and then dry either
by keeping it in the sun or in an over
maintained at a temperature of about 400C.
Determine its tensile strength again as
explained in Experiment-1.
iv) Now take another piece of woollen thread
of the same size and diameter and soak it in
a dilute solution of hydrochloric acid for five
minutes. Take it out, wash thoroughly with
water, dry and determine the tensile
strength again.
v) Repeat the above procedure for the samples
of cotton and nylon fibre.
 DIGRAM

Observation table:
Sno Types Weight Weight required Weight required to
. of fibre required to to break the fibre break the fibre
treat the after soaking in after soaking in
untreated dilute base dilute acid
fibre
1. wool 750g 700g 750g

2. cotton 75g 75g 50g

3. nylon 375g 375g 375g

Precautions:
(i) Thread must be of identical diameters.
(ii) (ii) Always take the same length of the
threads.
(iii) Add the weights in small amounts very
slowly

RESULT
(i) The tensile strength
of woollen fibre
decreases on soaking
in
alkalis but practically
remains unaffected on
soaking in acids.
(ii) The tensile strength
of cotton fibre
decreases on soaking
in acids
but remains practically
unaffected on soaking
in alkalis.
(iii) The tensile
strength of nylon fibres
remains practically
unaffected
on soaking either in
acids or in alkalies
(i) The tensile strength of woollen fibre
decreases on soaking in alkalies but
practically remains unaffected on soaking
in acids.
(ii) The tensile strength of cotton fibre
decreases on soaking in acids but remains
 practically unaffected on soaking in
alkalies.
(iii) The tensile strength of nylon fibres
remains practically unaffected on soaking
either in acids or in alkalies

BIBLOGRAPHY
1.Affect of Acid and Alkaline on Tensile
Strength of Fibers. | PDF | Textiles | Fibers
(scribd.com)
2. The Effect of Acids and Bases on the Tensile
Strength of Fibres. (slideshare.net)