The Liquid Ammonia Treatment of Cotton Fibers-Comparison and Combination with Mercerization using a Practical Unit-

Abstract

Three kinds of cotton fabrics were treated using a practical mercerizing unit under conventional conditions. No change in the lattice type of cellulose was found against the common understanding of mercerization. The reason for this phenomena is thought to be as follows; the mobility of the cellulose molecules in the cotton fabrics is restricted by the construction of the fabrics and the conversion to sodium cellulose as well as conversion from sodium cellulose to cellulose _are hindered. Other physical properties though, were obviously changed by the mercerization. The pore volume increased, water retention decreased, moisture absorbency increased, wet crease recovery increased, dye uptake increased and the bending repulsion increased. In the case of a combination with liquid ammonia treatment, the changes in the water retention, moisture absorbency and crease recovery were enhanced; the pore volume decreased and the changes in the dye uptake and bending repulsion were reduced. Therefore, the combination of mercerization and liquid ammonia treatment should be used depending on the required purpose of the finishing.