Overview
EN ISO 17751-2:2023 (ISO 17751-2:2023) specifies a standardized scanning electron microscopy (SEM) method for the identification, qualitative and quantitative analysis of cashmere, wool, other specialty animal fibres and their blends. Applicable to loose fibres, intermediate products (sliver, yarn) and final products (woven and knitted fabrics), this European-adopted ISO standard provides the procedural, sampling and reporting requirements laboratories and manufacturers need for reliable SEM-based fibre testing.
Key Topics and Requirements
- Scope and principle: SEM-based morphological analysis to distinguish and quantify similar animal fibres (cashmere, sheep’s wool, yak, camel, etc.) and their blends.
- Reagents and materials / Apparatus: Lists of required consumables and the SEM equipment parameters to ensure consistent imaging (see Clause 5 and 6 for full details).
- Sampling: Requirements for lot sampling and laboratory samples, with Annex A providing a normative drawing for sample selection.
- Specimen preparation: Detailed procedures for preparing test specimens from loose fibres, sliver, yarn, woven and knitted fabrics; includes coating of specimens for SEM imaging (Clause 8).
- Procedure: Steps for preparing specimen stubs, imaging, and conducting qualitative (purity) analysis and quantitative analysis (Clause 9).
- Calculation and expression of results: Methods to calculate fibre content, express results and document uncertainty (Clause 10).
- Reporting: Mandatory elements for test reports (Clause 11).
- Annexes:
- Annex A (normative) - drawing of lot and laboratory sample
- Annex B (informative) - surface morphology of common animal fibres (useful for SEM identification)
- Annex C (normative) - densities of common animal fibres used in calculations
The 2023 edition updates and expands the 2016 version: added terms, revised specimen counts, clarified preparation and reporting, and introduced new normative clauses.
Practical Applications and Users
This standard is essential for:
- Textile testing laboratories performing fibre identification and composition analysis.
- Quality control teams in cashmere and wool supply chains verifying product authenticity and blend composition.
- Manufacturers and brand owners validating raw material claims and avoiding fibre adulteration.
- Customs, certification bodies and forensic analysts investigating fibre fraud or provenance.
- Research institutions studying fibre morphology and blend behavior using SEM.
Using SEM together with light microscopy (LM) provides complementary strengths: SEM excels at surface morphology; LM can reveal internal structures and pigmentation. Together, they increase the accuracy of fibre identification and quantitative determinations.
Related Standards
- Part of the ISO 17751 series on quantitative analysis of cashmere, wool and other specialty animal fibres. (Refer to other parts of the series for light microscopy and complementary methods.)
