Cotton Fibers. Constitution, Structure, and Mechanical Properties

Abstract

Abstract The study by chemical methods of the constitution, derivatives, and properties of cellulose has yielded a voluminous literature and a wealth of useful information. Microscopic and x-ray investigations have produced much new and valuable knowledge of cellulose and its structure. But relatively little attention is given to the mechanical properties of cellulosic fibers, although such properties reflect fiber structure and frequently determine suitability to specific applications. An exhaustive review of the relevant literature on cotton has not been undertaken in this paper; rather, the object is to summarize the available data on constitution and properties and, wherever possible, to indicate their relations to the most probable fiber structure. In this way the material as a whole is integrated into a working concept of the cotton fiber.