Studies on Chemically Modified Cotton

Abstract

Purified lint samples of 170-Co.2 cotton were treated with different molar solutions of LiOH and KOH at 20, 30, 40, and 55°C. Treated and untreated products were examined for various properties such as moisture regain, cellulose crystallinity, viscosity, tensile, mechanical, and optical properties in order to determine the effect of treatment temperature on these properties. Treatments with both chemicals produced marked changes in the properties depending upon the molarity of the solution. However, the changes were similar at different temperatures. Moisture regain was found to increase and crystallinity to decrease with decrease of temperature; relative viscosity, bundle strength at 0 gauge length, elongation, and toughness were found to be slightly higher at 20°C than at higher temperatures; n₁₁ and birefringence were slightly higher for 30° than for 40°C.