Liquid Ammonia and Caustic Mercerization of Cotton Fibers Using X-Ray,Infrared,and Sorption Measurements

Abstract

X-ray and infrared spectroscopic analyses were used to measure crystallinity of cotton fibers swollen in liquid ammonia and an aqueous solution of caustic soda. Changes due to such swelling, which took place in the accessible regions, were determined by moisture regain and iodine and dye sorption. Results showed that mercerization treatments lead to a sharp decrease in cellulose crystallinity as assessed by determining the increase of reactivity of cellulose towards dye sorption. Iodine and moisture sorption were used to estimate cellulose accessibility. From these measurements general correlations were obtained between the x-ray crystallinity index and iodine sorption values, as well as a correlation between crystallinity ratio determined by infrared spectroscopy and accessibility determined by moisture sorption.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Barry, A.J. , Peterson, F.C. , and King, A.J. , X-ray Studies of Reactions of Cellulose in Non-Aqueous systems, Interaction of Cellulose and Liquid Ammonia, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 58, 333-337 (1936).

Brederek, K. , Changes of Optical Properties of Cotton Textiles Through Treatment with Liquid Ammonia and Sodium Hydroxide Mercerization, Veranderungen des Glanzes und der Farbtief, Changes in Luster and Depth of Color (in German), Textilvered. 13, 270-277 (1978).

Clark, G.L. , and Parker, E.A. , An X-Ray Diffraction Study of the Action of Liquid Ammonia on Cellulose and Its Derivatives, J. Phys. Chem. 41, 777-786 (1937).

Gaily, R.M. , The Treatment of Cotton with Liquid Ammonia (in German), Textilvered. 7, 789-793 (1972).

Gjonnes, G. , and Norman, N. , X-Ray Investigations on Cellulose II and Mixtures of Cellulose I and II, Acta Chem. Scand. 14, 683-688 (1960).

Hess, K. , and Gundermann, J. , Concerning the Effect of Liquid Ammonia on Cellulosic Fibers (in German) , Ber. Dtsch. Chem. Ges. 40, 1788-1799 (1937 ).

Jayme, G. , and Knolle, H. , Contribution to the Empirical Rontgenographic Determination of the Degree of Crystallinity of Cellulose Containing Materials (in German), Das Papier 18, 249-255 (1964).

Jeffries, R. , Roberts, J.G. , and Robinson . R. M., Accessibility and Reaction Sites in Cotton, Textile Res. J. 38, 234-244 (1968).

Lewin, M. , and Roldan, L.C. , The Effect of Liquid Anhydrous Ammonia in the Structure and Morphology of Cotton Cellulose. J. Polym. Sci. Part C., no. 36, 213-229 (1971).

10.

Nelson, M.L. , and O'connor, R.T. , Relation of Certain Infrared Bands to Cellulose Crystallinity and Lattice Type, Part I: Spectra of Lattice Types I, II, III and Amorphous Cellulose, J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 8, 1311-1324 (1964).

11.

Nelson, M.L. , and O'connor, R.T. , Relation of Certain Infrared Bands to Cellulose Crystallinity and Crystal Lattice Type, Part II: A New Infrared Ratio for Estimation of Crystallinity in Cellulose I and II, J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 8, 1325-1341 (1964 ).

12.

Nelson, M.L. , Rousselle, M.A. , Cangemi , S.J. , and Tranard, P. , the Iodine Sorption Test, Factors Affecting the Reproducibility and a Semi-Micro Adaptation . Textile Res. J. 40, 872-880 (1970).

13.

O'connor, R.T. , Dupre, E.F. , and McCall, E.R. , Infrared Spectrophotometric Procedure for Analysis of Cellulose and Modified Cellulose, Anal. Chem. 29, 998-1005 (1957).

14.

O'connor, R.T. , Dupre, E.F. , and Mitchum, D. , Application of Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy to Investigations of Cotton and Modified Cottons, I: Physical and Crystalline Modifications and Oxidation. Textile Res. J. 28, 382-392 (1958).

15.

Rousselle, M.A. , Nelson, M.L. , Hassenboehier , C.B. , and Legendre, D.C. , Liquid Ammonia and Caustic Mercerization of Cotton Fibers: Changes in Fine Structure and Mechanical Properties, Textile Res. J. 46, 304-310 (1976).

16.

Rouselle, M.A. , and Nelson, M.L. , Reactivity and Fine Structure of Cotton Mercerized in Sodium Hydroxide or Liquid Ammonia, Textile Res. J. 46, 684-653 (1976).

17.

Warwicker, J.O. , The Fundamental Basis of Liquid Ammonia Treatment of Cotton. Cellul. Chem. Terhnol. 6, 85-97 (1972).