Comparative study of the properties of differently decrystallized and crosslinked cotton fibers

Abstract

The physical, structural, and mechanical properties of decrystallized cotton fibers prepared by preswelling in different concentrations of alkali followed by partial substitution—to nearly the same extent irrespective of the preswelling alkali concentration—by acetylation or cyanoethylation have been compared. The decrystallized fibers have been crosslinked with dimethylol dihydroxy ethylene urea (DMDHEU), along with the swollen controls, and the mechanical properties have been measured on these samples. It was found that preswelling in NaOH solution of lower concentration (12–15%) prior to cyancethylation results in better decrystallized fibers which also possess better strength uniformity, whereas a higher concentration of NaOH (15% or above) is necessary for acetylation to obtain fibers with nearly similar characteristics. On crosslinking, the swollen and substituted fibers show a better strength retention and a higher strength uniformity than the swollen control, for the same degree of crosslinking.