Abstract
Wide cotton sheets were placed in service and laundered weekly. Chemical and physical tests were made on the sheets at successive wear intervals.
The physical properties of the sheets, namely, strength, weight, thickness and air permeability, were found to be more adversely affected in the area exposed to the greatest wear. Copper number and alpha-cellulose determinations showed the chemical deterioration to be greatest in this same portion of the sheet. Photomicrographs showed the greatest change in the physical appearance of the sheets occurred in this area.
This evidence indicates that wear either has a chemical action or so changes the physical condition of the material that the chemical effect of laundering is increased. It follows, then, that the effect of wear or abrasion is much greater than has been assumed by previous investigators and that this effect must be considered in judging the wearability of cotton sheets.
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