Olefin Fiber, Nouvelle
                This is a sample olefin fiber from the sample-set provided
                  by Textile Fabric Consultants, Inc.
                  Nouvelle is a trademarked product of the Hercules Company.
                
              
              
                Transmitted Crossed Linear Polarized Light
                
Definition/Function:
                Olefin fiber is a polymer fiber with a high proportion of double-bonded carbon in the
                backbone of the polymer. It is also
                known as polypropylene, polyethylene, or polyolefin fiber. It is formed into a fiber by
                extruding the heated polymer
                through a spinneret. This results in the fiber taking the cross-section of the
                spinneret. Olefin fiber can be round or any
                other desirable extruded shape.
                Significance in the Environment:
                This is a common clothing fiber.
                Characteristic Features:
                Olefin fiber has a refractive index along its length of about 1.56 and perpendicular to
                its length of about 1.51. It has a
                birefringence of about 0.05 and a positive sign of elongation. It tends to exhibit a
                smooth, regular
                surface along its length depending on its cross-section of the fiber.
                Associated Particles:
                References:
                DuPont Company Techinical Bulletin X-156: IDENTIFICATION OF FIBERS IN TEXTILE MATERIALS,
                December 1961. 
                http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olefin_fiber