STUDIES ON THE MECHANISM OF THE ACTION OF VISCOSE MODIFIER

Abstract

(1) There are many results suggest that the most probable action of modifier is the contribution to formation of some type of membrane by the interaction of zinc, cellulose xanthate and/or byproduct in viscose on the surface of filament during the spinning.(2) In this report, attempt is made to confirm such membrane by the observation of cross sections of filaments spun from both modified and unmodified viscoses through the bath containing high concentration of zinc sulfate at various immersion lengths.(3) As a result, it is observed distinctly that at short immersion the membranes are formed on the surfaces of slightly regenerated filaments spun from both modified and unmodified viscoses. It is also found that the modifier increases thickness and stability of the membrane and that the components of the modified membrane are presumably zinc sulfied, zinc trithiocarbonate and modifier.(4) The formation of thick and stable membrane is closely related to the formation of “all skin” structure of filament. At short immersion, though the “all skin” structure is formed in the modified filament, its gel swelling value is higher than that of unmodified filament. Therefore, it is thought that the skin structure is not formed by the dehydration of gel through the membrane before regeneration, as reported before, but by another unknown physical or chemical action to viscose inside the membrane.