How to distinguish synthetic oil from mineral? What is the difference between synthetics and semi-synthetics How to distinguish semi-synthetic oil from mineral water
Unfortunately, many ladies are completely unable to determine the composition of the fabric and often wear synthetics, quite sure that it is silk. And how is it possible to do this when everything is bought on the run, and not a single seller will allow you to pull a couple of threads from the product.
In this article, you will learn simple methods for determining the composition of tissues. This knowledge can be useful to you in everyday life, as well as be useful when choosing materials for those who are fond of needlework.
But first, a little terminology..
The fabrics themselves are made up of an interweaving of threads, and the threads in turn are made of fibers. It is the composition of the fiber that is so important to us.
The fabric consists of an interweaving of two systems of threads - warp (or equity) and weft. The weft is always perpendicular to the edge of the fabric, and the warp is always parallel.
If both threads consist of the same fiber, then such a fabric is pure in composition (homogeneous) - it can be a pure linen product or pure cotton, etc. (if the wool contains no more than 10% synthetics to improve properties, then such a fabric is also considered pure wool.
Enough nonsense - let's get down to business!
If you go to the fabric store, then take matches with you. Of course, it is not necessary to arrange laboratory tests on site. But, having grabbed a couple of threads from the sample (this is not difficult to do in a large hall), go outside, and if you buy expensive fabric, then sellers should not prevent you from checking the composition. It's great if you can get a separate weft thread and a separate warp thread, but a simple bunch will work too.
Wet the fingers in water or saliva, twist the threads in the form of a wick and set fire to it. The most important thing is to determine the nature of the combustion of the fiber.
If you trust store consultants, then this approach will be redundant. But when buying from hand - it's better to check! This method is usually always justified in India and other Eastern countries. If you want to identify the finished product, try to find a couple of threads in the seam that are very easy to get. This experience will also be useful for those who doubt the already purchased fabric. For the purity of the experiment at home, pull the threads out of the weft, make a mini-wick and set it on fire. Repeat this procedure for the warp threads. As a result, you will receive complete and reliable information about the material.
So, the nature of combustion is different for all fibers:
- cotton gives the smell of burnt paper, smolders forming white smoke and gray ash, burns with an intense yellow flame, even sparks are visible. If you crush the end of the wick between your fingers, then you will not feel anything other than ash, since this is a natural fiber;
- linen burns almost like cotton, only smolders worse;
- wool burns more slowly than cotton, crackling and sintering into a dark porous ball that crumbles when touched, does not smolder. The smell of fiber is the smell of singed hair, burnt horn;
If soot is released during the burning of wool, then this is an admixture of lavsan or nitron, if you smell beans - an admixture of nylon, if the smell of burnt paper is mixed with the smell of wool, an influx is formed and a flickering coal is visible, then these are impurities of viscose or acetate.
- silk burns almost the same as wool with the same specific smell. As with all natural fibers, when crushing the end of the wick between your fingers, you should not feel anything other than ash.
Cotton, linen, wool and silk are natural fibres.
- viscose burns like cotton;
- acetate and triacetate produces a dark color rush, a sour vinegar smell and a yellow flame. The fiber smolders, emitting smoke. The influx is easily crushed by the fingers.
Viscose, acetate and triacetate are chemically obtained from natural substances (cellulose), therefore they are called artificial fibers.
- capron (nylon 6 or perlon) when burning, it melts, shrinks (shrinks), solidifies in the form of a hard and dark ball, white smoke and the smell of sealing wax are released;
- lavsan (polyester) burns slowly releasing soot and forming a solid ball;
- nitron (acrylic) burns intensely emitting black soot and an irregularly shaped black influx that is crushed between the fingers. Burning occurs in flashes;
- chlorine And polyvinyl chloride charred, but does not burn. Shrinks (shrinks) and emits a chlorine smell;
- vinol when burned, it shrinks (shrinks) and a solid influx of light brown color.
Capron, lavsan, nitron, chlorin, vinol, spandex (elastane, lycra), nylon (anid) and polyvinyl chloride are obtained as a result of synthetic compounds and are therefore called synthetic fibers.
Always rub the extinguished wick between your fingers! If there is an admixture of synthetics, then you will definitely feel hard balls.
But what if the situation does not allow to determine the nature of combustion? In this case, there are other ways to determine the composition of the fabric, but they will require you to be attentive and at least have a little experience with materials.
Clean cotton always soft and warm to the touch. If you squeeze it in your hand, then the fabric will strongly doubt;
- linen also creases easily. If you look closely at the fabric, then linen threads are often heterogeneous in thickness. The material itself looks more brilliant and smooth than cotton, but it drapes much worse. The fabric is hard and cool to the touch. Linen is poorly stretched over the weft and warp;
- wool does not wrinkle;
- silk very pleasant, plastic, warm and soft to the touch, wrinkle a little. Has a pleasant sheen.
Synthetic fibers are electrified (acetate too), fabrics are hard and cold to the touch. Synthetics often have a rough surface, and if you have dry skin, you can easily feel it. Natural fabrics quickly take on body temperature, while synthetic ones will always be cold.
- viscose wrinkle a lot. The fiber has a bright "silk" sheen (if it is without additives), soft and pleasant to the touch, drapes easily, does not become electrified;
- capron(nylon 6 or perlon) or lavsan(polyester) makes the fabric slippery, the threads are easily moved apart and the material itself crumbles;
- nitron(acrylic) has wool-like fibers.
There are also ways to determine the composition of the fabric in everyday life: when washing, drying or ironing.
For example:
- cotton turns yellow in the light over time, shrinks when washed, dries for a long time and evenly, quickly absorbs water. When ironing, the smell of natural fabric is very pleasant and fresh, the fiber is also not afraid of high temperatures. In water, cotton becomes more durable and harder to tear.
- silk breaks down over time. When boiled, it loses its luster and strength;
- viscose unlike cotton, it becomes less durable when moistened and easily rots, but absorbs water better;
- capron dries very quickly, when ironing you need to be very careful, because the fabric tends to melt quickly. The fiber does not absorb water;
- lavsan similar in properties to capron, but melts only at high temperatures;
- chlorine just like nylon, it is easily deformed even at 65-70 degrees;
- vinol it gets dirty quickly and has a greater shrinkage during washing than cotton, and is also subject to an external defect - pilling (pilling).
Let's conduct an experiment with two samples of fabrics: pure silk and synthetic.
In the first case, the fiber burns slowly, reluctantly, forming black porous balls on the threads, does not smolder and the ash is easily crushed between the fingers - all this, as well as the smell of a burnt feather, tells us that we have natural silk.
When viewed close, you can see the unevenness of some threads - this is not a drawback, on the contrary, it is in chemically produced fabrics that the thread is always even. The material has a nice sheen. It is warm and pleasant to the touch.
In the second case, the fiber burns, forming a black solid ball that cannot be crushed between the fingers. When burning, black soot can be observed. The smell is artificial. Such characteristics unequivocally tell us about synthetic fabric - lavsan (polyester).
On examination, the fabric is cold and unpleasant to the touch, the threads are easily moved apart, the material is slippery, crumbles and becomes electrified.
Quite often in stores you can find bed sheets of inadequate quality, in other words, a fake. The packaging may indicate one composition of the fabric, for example, "100% cotton", but in reality the bed linen will be sewn from cheap synthetic fabric. Sometimes unscrupulous manufacturers are cunning and do not indicate the composition of the fabric at all. Not all buyers, unfortunately, pay attention to this.
How to distinguish natural bed linen from synthetics?
bed set weight
The first method is not very accurate, but it will allow you to avoid buying a low-quality fake already at the selection stage. Synthetic bed linen weighs 1.5-2 times lighter than a similar one made of natural cotton or linen. Just compare the weight of the package, and if the laundry is suspiciously light, refrain from buying.
Electrification of fabric
The second method is associated with the properties of synthetics to be highly electrified. If you rub a synthetic fabric, it can crackle and glow in the dark - surely everyone has ever encountered such phenomena in their lives. WITH natural fabric made of cotton, linen or bamboo this will never happen.
Wrinkle test
The third method is the wrinkle test. Synthetic fabrics, as a rule, do not wrinkle at all and restore their shape very quickly. Natural bedding fabric unequivocally doubted, to a greater or lesser extent, since this is a property of all natural fabrics.
Characteristic brilliance
The fourth method - we determine the synthetics by the sheen of the fabric. Synthetic fabrics have a characteristic luster, because of this they often look more beautiful than natural. But do not succumb to this unnatural beauty. This method is not suitable for satin and silk, as these natural fabrics can also have a smooth, shiny surface.
The smell of textiles
The fifth method is very accurate, but it can only be applied after purchase. If you remove the thread from the fabric, from the wrong side, and set it on fire, it burns, smells like burnt paper and leaves ashes. Synthetics either smolder or melt, leave no ash and smell completely different.
Peelability of the material
The sixth method is a test for fabric rolling. If during operation bed linen If “pellets” appeared, then, most likely, the fabric is artificial. Remember your old cotton clothes - even if they are badly worn, they will never have the “pellets” characteristic of synthetics.
Drying speed
The seventh method is the speed of drying bed linen. Synthetics dry very quickly, sometimes even after spinning in the washing machine, it is already almost dry. Bed linen made of natural fabric will dry much longer.
We hope these methods will help you avoid a bad purchase. Although, of course, not all of them are applicable at the stage of choosing a bed set.
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Bed linen Poplin Palladio, Т1205\2
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Pillowcase:
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100% COTTON
Quick View Bed linen Poplin Botticelli, Т1205/2
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1 850 RSynthetic motor oil is more expensive, but has great potential. Semi-synthetics are cheaper, have lower consumption. Before you figure out which is better, synthetics or semi-synthetics, you need to understand why oil is needed at all, what functions it performs. It is also necessary to know about the main characteristics of fuels and lubricants, their dependence on the composition (synthetics and semi-synthetics) and what is the difference between them.
How does lubricant work?
Engine oil is designed to reduce friction between parts of the power unit. It begins to flow from a special compartment at the moment when the car is started. The better the lubricant reduces friction, the less gasoline is consumed, the less engine parts wear out.
But this is not the only task of modern fuel and lubricants. Also, a high-quality substance should clean the engine from deposits, burning, formed during the combustion of fuel, iron chips, which are created from the friction of parts. Special substances called additives are responsible for this.
Synthetic engine oil is fuel and lubricants created artificially. Without going into the details of production, this can be represented as follows: oil is taken, as well as other substances responsible for certain properties of the future lubricant, and mixed according to a special technology in which the molecular structure of the entire liquid changes.
Semi-synthetics are made by mixing additives, mineral oil, which is refined petroleum. Its cost is lower, which affects the market price. This is the main difference between synthetics and semi-synthetics.
Advantages and disadvantages of synthetics
Synthetic motor oil has the following advantages:
Many refuse synthetic substances due to its high cost. This is the most significant drawback of this type of lubricant.
Advantages and disadvantages of semi-synthetics
Semi-synthetics are most often considered as a compromise between a low-performance mineral composition and an expensive synthetic one. It has the following benefits:
The disadvantage of semi-synthetics is that it is less efficient than synthetic oil and has a higher consumption. The latter is better able to cope with difficult working conditions.
Viscosity
Viscosity is one of the most important characteristics of an oil. According to this parameter, the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) has developed standards that are used by all manufacturers.
Labels are marked with letters and numbers, for example 5W30 or 5W40. The letter W means the word "winter" (winter), together with the first number, it determines at what temperature the engine oil loses its fluidity, i.e. thickens so much that it cannot be transported normally by the supply system:
The second number indicates the maximum temperature at which the lubricant is thick enough to ensure normal operation of the power unit:
For example, 5W30 means that the composition can be used at -30 ... + 35 ° C, and 5W40 can be used in the range -30 ... + 40 ° C. That is, synthetics and semi-synthetics 5W40, 5W30 are almost universal.
Table of basic viscosity designations (synthetics and semi-synthetics):
| SAE viscosity grade | Interpretation - temperature range, ° С |
|---|---|
| 0W20 | -35… +10-15 |
| 0W40 | -35… +35 |
| 5W20 | -25… +10-15 |
| SAE 5W30 | -25… +20 |
| 5W40 | -25… +35 |
| 5W50 | -25…+45 and above |
| 10W30 | -20… +30 |
| 10W-40 | -20… +35 |
| 10W60 | -20… +45 |
| 15W-30 | -15… +35 |
| 15W40 | -15… +45 |
| 20W-40 | -10… +45 |
| 20W50 | -10…+45 and above |
| SAE 30 | 0… +45 |
What else do you need to know?
Synthetics and semi-synthetics differ in composition and viscosity, therefore, they affect the motor in different ways. The choice also depends on the year of manufacture of the car. For cars with significant mileage (more than half of the planned resource), it is recommended to use a thicker synthetic substance - the viscosity compensates for the increased gaps and will allow the engine to work longer. If the car is new, it is better to give preference to more liquid fuel and lubricants - it will be able to penetrate into the smallest gaps.
Which substance to acquire depends on the driver. The main thing is to be guided by the main characteristics of the car, the recommendations of the manufacturers. Both synthetic and semi-synthetic oil will be able to create normal conditions for the operation of the machine.
Why was it necessary to invent synthetic motor oil?
The conditions under which the engine operates may be different. The mode of operation of the motor is constantly changing. We started the engine - it warms up, suspended it - it cools down. And during operation, the engine constantly changes its own mode - the speed changes, and the temperature, and so on. For this reason, an impeccable engine oil can be an oil whose characteristics would remain measured under various engine operating modes. But this is actually unrealistic.
Under various criteria, the mineral motor oil base cannot provide the stability of the substance. By the method of synthesis of molecules, scientists were able to obtain a synthetic base. It is much less exposed to external causes. Its characteristics during long-term operation are more measured. For the first time, such a synthetic motor oil was used in aviation. At low temperatures, when starting the engine, the mineral oil simply froze. At first, the costs of creating synthetic oil were very high, and this did not allow it to be widely used in car engines. Only over time has synthetic motor oil become cheaper. It was then that it began to be used in the auto industry.
So, we can summarize:
1. Synthetic motor oil is less afraid of temperature changes.
2. Synthetic oil in the process of use is able to retain its characteristics longer.
3. Such an oil parameter as viscosity cannot be maintained at a suitable level if a completely mineral base is used.
If the area where the car is operated is not characterized by temperatures below 15-20 degrees Celsius in winter, then there is no need to use synthetic engine oil.
Using mineral or semi-synthetic oil, you just have to change it more often.
There is also semi-synthetic motor oil. It is created from a mixed base. 30-50% in it is a synthetic base, and the rest is a mineral base. Such oil has much better indicators of its own stability than mineral oil. But it's worse than synthetic motor oil.
Such semi-synthetic engine oil should be poured into a modern engine and with high mileage. Usually, in such conditions, the waste of synthetic oil increases. Semi-synthetic oil is the best way out. Synthetics for such engines is contraindicated.
So is it possible to mix mineral, synthetic and semi-synthetic oils?
The question of mixing may arise when one engine oil is changed to another, when it is necessary to add oil to the engine. In principle, it is not worth combining different oils. And this is not worth doing, therefore, that completely different additives are mixed, and what chemical reaction will be incomprehensible with all this. The purchased mixture will not be able to meet the standards or requirements. Any mixing is the last resort. Although the very fact of the existence of semi-synthetic motor oil suggests the idea that it is possible to combine mineral and synthetic motor oils. True, under certain conditions:
1. Only the base of the 1st manufacturer can be guaranteed to be comparable.
Different manufacturers use different technologies to get the base itself. The chemical composition is also different.
2. If it is necessary to add oil, then it is safer to add another oil, but from the same manufacturer.
3. When an oil change occurs, it is necessary to keep in mind that a certain amount of it remains in the engine anyway. Mixing with newly filled oil takes place. For this reason, the characteristics of the oil change somewhat. For this reason, in several service cycles, you will have to change the oil more often than usual.
Immediately it is necessary to warn that motor oils are counterfeited much more often than gasoline. In auto markets, you can often stumble upon “left” oil, although in spare parts stores you can also simply run into a fake. If you ever have to take oil in an incomprehensible place, then it is better to purchase a brand that is not very advertised. They are just less likely to be faked. In any case, we recommend that you keep the check and the canister until the next replacement. It will take.
Symbols for motor oils.
Here, let's take 10W40 as an example. According to the SAE standard, this is the designation of viscosity. The 1st digit (in our example it is 10) indicates the thickening index. You need to know that the lower the index, the more this oil can withstand lower temperatures. The thickening index ranges from 0 to 15. The 2nd digit (and in our example it is 40) indicates the viscosity at a motor temperature of 100 degrees. Oil thicker is indicated by a larger number. Oil with a viscosity of 60 is the thickest. But the letter between 2 numbers indicates the time of its use. The letter W from the word WINTER is for winter. In other words, oil is "winter".
What kind of oil to choose for a car?
You need to look at the abstract. It will certainly be written which engine oil is recommended. 5W40 oil can be filled in instead of the recommended 10W40 oil. But in the summer, such a substitution will not lead to either bad or excellent. It is not recommended to use engine oil that has a high viscosity. The highest viscosity promotes the accumulation of oil in the cylinder head.
According to the API standard, the property index is denoted by 2 large Latin characters. For example, the signs SF. The 2nd letter indicates the quality of the oil. And the better the oil is considered, the further down the alphabet this letter is. SF oil will satisfy not only most VAZs, but also suit foreign cars of the 80s. But SG oil is suitable for most new imported cars in recent years. Completely with any oil, as it is officially being created in Russia, fakes appear here.
The main difference between synthetic motor oil and mineral oil can be called the highest stability of its parameters at different temperatures and during long-term operation. This is what we told in our article “How to distinguish synthetic oil from mineral oil”.
How to distinguish natural cotton from synthetics?
Today, probably, every inhabitant of our planet knows firsthand what Italian cotton is. Many of us have at least a couple of cotton items in our wardrobe: a towel, bedding, T-shirts, jeans, sundresses, socks, pajamas, bathrobes, and so on. Products made from this hypoallergenic and soft material have not lost their popularity for several millennia. And despite the fact that fashion is changing rapidly, and many synthetic fabrics appear on the shelves, cotton consumption is increasing every year. This is due, first of all, to the universal qualities of cotton fabric.
But it happens that manufacturers act in bad faith, adding to the composition instead of the declared 5-15% of synthetic impurities honestly indicated on the label, obviously more. And, unfortunately, to recognize the fraud, most often, it is possible only after the purchase. But there are several ways to help avoid such unpleasant situations.
3 Ways to Recognize Natural Cotton
Try to buy canvases only in trusted stores in which you or your loved ones had to make purchases. But even in this case, always try to check the matter by the following methods.
sunlight
Before you buy a cotton fabric or a product made from it, hold it to the window so that the sun's rays fall on it. Pure cotton will never shine in the sun, reflecting with all the colors of the rainbow. It should be matte in appearance and plastic to the touch.
Fire
If you doubt the authenticity of cotton, ask the seller for a small piece of fabric, pull the thread out of it and set it on fire. A genuine organic product will burn with a bright yellow flame. Synthetic threads will melt, leaving behind something that looks like plastic. If this is not a hoax, crumbly ash should remain after the procedure, the smell of which is similar to the smell of burnt paper. Burning synthetics tend to smell like burnt plastic.
Temperature
Real cotton canvas or clothes will never stick to the soleplate, even if the temperature is set to the maximum. But to check this, you have to buy a product. You can, of course, ask for a small piece, but ironing it will be extremely inconvenient.
By the way, the cost, which is indicated on the price tag, is also an important indicator of the quality of cotton. The higher it is, the more likely it is that the material is really natural and of high quality. The price may also depend on the motive and the country in which the textile is made. For example, designer cotton fabric from Europe, for obvious reasons, is much more expensive than products shipped from Asia.
