Introduction:
Jute is a long, soft, shiny vegetable fiber that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. Jute is one of the most affordable natural fibers and is second only to cotton in amount produced and variety of uses of vegetable fibers. Jute fibers are composed primarily of the plant materials cellulose and lignin. For preparation of jute fiber for carding process emulsion is essential. In this article I will explain, what is emulsion, characteristics and functions of emulsion ingredients, recipe for emulsion and faults of emulsion in jute spinning.
What is Emulsion in Jute Spinning?
Emulsion is a mixture of some lubricating agents which is applied on jute fiber to make the fiber soften and flexible for spinning; prepared for spun. An emulsion is an intimate mixture of two immiscible liquids where one is dispersed in small globules on the other and addition of a third substance brings stability. Emulsion is made by splitting up oil into minute drops which are prevented from reuniting in water.

Characteristics of a Good Quality Emulsion:
- It should not damage the fiber
- The emulsion should be colorless
- It should be stable for a certain period of time
- Its softening quality should be high
- The emulsion droplets should be very small
The Reasons why Emulsion is Used?
- To make the jute fiber soft
- To increase cohesiveness of fiber
- To increase flexibility
- To make it move easily through different parts of the machines
- To reduce fiber stiffness and brittleness
Recipe for Emulsion:
General recipe of emulsion:
- Water →→ 73%
- Mineral oil →→ 25.4%
- Emulsifier →→ 1.6%
Emulsion for Carpet Breaking Cloth (CBC):
- Water →→ 89-91%
- Oil →→ 8-10%
- Emulsifier →→ 0.5-1%
High Standard Effective and Modified Emulsion:
- Water →→ 72.85%
- Jute Batch (J.B.) oil →→ 26.45%
- Urea →→ 0.3%
- Nonident →→ 0.4%
Ingredients of Emulsion and Their Functions:
Water, oil, emulsifier of the ingredients of emulsion.
Functions of Oil:
- It lubricates the fiber.
- It helps fiber to move freely during processing.
- It makes the fiber soft and gives more spinning property.
- It cleans the pins and rollers of the machine.
Functions of Water:
- It increases extensibility of fiber which resists fiber breakage during processing.
- It gives sufficient dampness and flexibility to the jute fiber.
Functions of Emulsifier:
Emulsifier is a surface active agent. These are soaps, detergents, wetting agents etc. Functions of emulsifier are given below.
- It removes temporary hardness of water.
- It helps emulsion to remain in stable form.
- It reduces surface tension.
- It makes droplet formation easier.
- It stabilizes the emulsion.
- It reduces surface tension.
- It prevents separation of oil from water.
Function of Urea:
- It helps easy penetration of emulsion into the fiber.
- It helps fiber to be softened quickly.
- It reduces maturity time to half generally fiber is stored 48 hrs in case of normal emulsion. When emulsion contains Urea, it keeps maturity time 24 hrs.
Requirements of Emulsifier and Water:
To become ingredients of emulsion, emulsifier and water should have some requirements. Requirements of emulsifier and water are given below:
Requirements of emulsifier:
- Emulsifier must not impair the lubricating properties.
- It should not have objectionable color and odor.
- It should be chemically inert with fiber.
- Moisture regain should be less than 30%
- It should have good wetting properties.
Requirements of water:
- Water should become soft and must be free from Carbon-di-oxide, Mg, Fe etc.
- Hard water should be treated before using.
- It should be colorless and odorless.
- It should be free from suspended mineral.
- It should be acceptable.
Faults of Emulsion in Jute Spinning:
1. Creaming:
When an emulsion is prepared it is not possible to make all drops exactly same size. The larger droplets move to the surface because they have less density than water. These droplets cause uneven distribution of water and form a layer on the surface and causes uneven distribution of emulsion. This defect is called creaming. This defect increase yarn breakage during spinning.
Causes of creaming:
- Improper oil selection
- Not accurate mixing ratio of oil, water and emulsifier
- Bad agitation of the mixture
Remedy to avoid creaming:
- Using slow running paddles to stir the mixture, thus the droplet size can be kept small
- Using oil of high specific gravity
- Emulsion should not be stored for long time
2. Breaking:
Sometimes the mixture is not uniform and so in some places it is dense and in others it is light. The defect is called breaking.
Causes of breaking:
- It is caused by faulty stirring equipment.
Remedy to avoid breaking:
- It can be avoided by high speed agitation.
Conclusion:
In jute spinning, emulsion plays a critical role in ensuring smooth processing, maintaining fiber quality, and enhancing productivity. Proper formulation, application, and monitoring of emulsions are crucial for achieving optimal performance and avoiding faults in jute spinning.

Founder & Editor of Textile Learner. He is a Textile Consultant, Blogger & Entrepreneur. Mr. Kiron is working as a textile consultant in several local and international companies. He is also a contributor of Wikipedia.