Liquid Ammonia Mercerization of Jute Fiber

Abstract

Changes in the mechanical properties and fine structure of jute fiber on treatment with liquid ammonia have been discussed. It is found that liquid ammonia treatment increases the extensibility of jute fiber without any loss of strength and is thus a desirable swelling agent from the practical point of view, because though caustic soda produces considerable improvement in extensibility of the fiber, it also causes considerable loss of strength due to removal of part of the hemicellulose. The fine structure of the fiber shows a transformation from cellulose I to cellulose III on liquid ammonia treatment followed by removal of ammonia by evaporation in nitrogen atmosphere, whereas the structure reverts to the cellulose I configuration when ammonia is removed by washing in water. X-ray, infrared, density, and moisture-absorption data for the treated fibers are discussed.