Also called Java cotton, ceiba, or Java kapok.
The kapok is deciduous, dropping its foliage after seasonal rainy periods. Flowering occurs when the tree is leafless.Only a few flowers on a given branch will open . The fibres are referred to as silk cotton and is yellowish brown, lightweight, and lustrous.
The seed and fibre, removed from the pods by hand, are stirred in a electric drum; the seeds fall to the bottom, leaving the fibres free. The seeds may be processed to obtain oil for making soap, and the residue is used as fertilizer and cattle feed.
Kapok is a moisture-resistant, quick-drying, resilient, and buoyant fibre. The fibres contain both lignin, a woody plant substance, and cellulose, a carbohydrate. The inelastic fibre, or floss, is too brittle for spinning, but it weighs only one-eighth as much as cotton.
Kapok is used as stuffing for mattress, pillows, as insulation material, us a substitute for absorbent cotton in surgery, and floss has been used in life preservers and other water-safety equipment.
STANDARDS FOR QUALITY OF KAPOK
Determination of Grade:
In determining the grade of a sample, two properties are assessed:
1.The physical condition of the material
2.The intensity of the violet fluorescence exhibited under ultraviolet light.
The condition was judged by visual inspection and the following factors were taken into consideration:
Length of fibre
Presence of matted, curled, or broken fibres,
General signs of disintegration
Physical Condition Test:
Value of “0” was given to samples that had become completely powdered, whereas samples that appeared to be the best material were given a value of 8. Values of 1, 2, or 3 were given to samples that warranted intermediate ratings.
Intensity of the violet fluorescence Test:
The equipment used for determining the fluorescence consisted of a 400-watt mercury vapour lamp in a dark room. Protection goggles (shade C) were used as an eye protection and also as an aid in accentuating the differences in appearance of the fluorescence under ultraviolet light. A value of 8 was given to samples that exhibited a deep violet fluorescence. Values 3, 2, or 1 were given to samples that showed progressively decreasing amounts of violet fluorescence, and a value of 0 was given to samples that exhibited no violet fluorescence.
Note: The length of time of exposure must be kept to a minimum as the fluorescence of kapok decreases on exposure to ultraviolet light for longer duration.
The Above tests rated our sample as GRADE 8
