Microstructural order in cotton fibers by relative availability of O(3)H: Never‐dried fibers

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

AbstractAvailabilities of O(3)H relative to O(2)H (that is, [O(3)H]a/[O(2)H]a) on accessible surfaces of microstructural units of cotton fibers were measured by chemical microstructural analysis (CMA). CMA involves a mild chemical reaction with N,N‐diethylaziridinium chloride, determination of substituent distribution for this product and a corresponding product from decrystallized cellulose, and simple computations. Measurements for fibers in commercial cotton fabric, for field‐dried fibers, and for never‐dried fibers are reported. The [O(3)H]a/[O(2)H]a, an inverse measure of intact O(3)H ·· O(5′) bonds, decreased in the stated order; thus, intact O(3)H ·· O(5′) hydrogen bonding increased in this same order. Results indicate a high degree of order in intramolecular bonding in the never‐dried fiber and an increasing disruption of this bonding as the never‐dried fiber is dried and processed.