Activity 3.1 - Analysing fibres

Learning Aims:

The pictures present the structure and the composition of fibres. Students work with authentic materials to get to know both natural and synthetic fibres (compare figure 1: classification/synthesis of textile fibres). For several types of fibres, their synthesis is analyzed in regard to polymer mechanisms.
Materials:
  • Various pictures of different types of fibres, taken with high resolution camera and microscope; exemplary worksheet Activity 3.1
  • Experiments: Syntheses of various types of fibres.
Suggestions for use:
  • The images of differently scaled fibres are compared. The fibres are looked at more closely at their submicroscopic level. The fibres’ properties can be worked out through the existence of functional groups. From the pictures, the composition of the fibres, their size and their chemical structure can be analyzed.
  • Students can also collect types of fibres from their own clothes and analyze those.
  • Providing an opportunity for incorporating ICT: students can make own pictures with digital microscopes.