Viscose Research Articles

Quality Assessment of Socks Produced from Viscose and Lyocell Fibers.

Most casual socks are produced from cotton and are usually combined with synthetic fibers. The suitability of viscose and lyocell fibers for knitting socks needs to be investigated further. Therefore, three series of plain socks were produced, composed in the largest content from single-spun viscose or lyocell yarns fully plated with texturized polyamide 6.6 multifilament yarn. The quality of three types of main yarns manufactured by ring, open-end rotor, and air-jet spinning processes and two types of polyamide plating yarns used in the production of socks were assessed together with the structural, usage, and comfort quality of the socks before and after simulating household laundering. In comparison with cotton socks produced from ring-spun yarns under the same conditions, the results showed that viscose and lyocell socks have better moisture absorption and breathability, comparable dimensional stability, and lower abrasion resistance; lyocell socks have lower thermal resistance; and viscose socks are less prone to surface pilling after wet pretreatment.

Biodegradable, Strong, and Hydrophobic Regenerated Cellulose Films Enriched with Esterified Lignin Nanoparticles.

The scientific community is pursuing significant efforts worldwide to develop environmentally viable film materials from biomass, particularly transparent, high-performance regenerated cellulose (RC) films, to replace traditional plastics. However, the inferior mechanical performance and hydrophilic nature of RC films are generally not suitable for use as a substitute for plastics in practical applications. Herein, lignin homogenization is used to synthesize high-performance composite films. The esterified lignin nanoparticles (ELNPs) with dispersible and binding advantages are prepared through esterification and nanometrization. In the presence of ELNPs, RC films exhibit a higher tensile strength (110.4MPa), hydrophobic nature (103.6° water contact angle, 36.6% water absorption at 120min, and 1.127×10-12gcmcm-2s-1 Pa-1 water vapor permeability), and exciting optical properties (high visible and low ultraviolet transmittance). The films further display antioxidant activity, oxygen barrier ability, and thermostability. The films completely biodegrade at 12 and 30% soil moisture. Overall, this study offers new insights into lignin valorization and regenerated cellulose composite films as novel bioplastic materials.

Micro-nano scale synchronous "carving" of viscose fiber in activation process for atmospheric hydrogen storage

As an important branch of hydrogen storage materials, adsorptive materials have unique advantages such as high reversibility, fast adsorption rate and mild release conditions, etc. At present, the research on adsorptive hydrogen storage materials mostly focus on the pressure conditions of 30–300 bar, while the atmospheric hydrogen storage performance of adsorptive materials needs to be further enhanced. Based on the sonication-assisted activation process, micro-nano scale synchronous "carving" of viscose fiber was achieved in activation process for viscose fiber after carbonization, and petaloid activated carbon fibers (FL-VACFs) and rod-shaped activated carbon fibers (RL-VACFs) were constructed. Specific surface area of FL-VACFs and RL-VACFs can reach 1085.77 m2 g−1 and 956.81 m2 g−1 respectively, and the ultramicropore relative contents can reach 44% and 52.08% respectively. Under the synergistic action of abundant ultramicropores and oxygen-containing functional groups, FL-VACFs and RL-VACFs exhibit excellent hydrogen storage density of 2.04 wt% at77 K, 1 bar. Additionally, Multisite-Langmuir model (N = 3) model is discovered more suitable for accurate describing the hydrogen adsorption process of FL-VACFs and RL-VACFs under atmospheric pressure.

Optical-related properties and characterization of some textile fibers using near-infrared spectroscopy

Abstract When light falls on the fiber surface, it is absorbed, reflected, or refracted. These three phases of incident light determine, to a great extent, the behavior of lustre of major textile fibers. This article sheds light upon the behavior of some textile fibers, namely, polyethylene terephthalate, cotton, viscose, bamboo, tencel, and modal fibers, in terms of their reflectance percentages in the ultraviolet regions. Also, the direct and indirect band-gap energies of the used textile fibers were also investigated. The findings of this study revealed the significant differences among these used textile fibers in relation to their optical properties. Also, the chemical composition of the used textile fibers was easily identified using near-infrared spectroscopy. Finally, the findings of this study revealed that the used textile fibers are considered good insulators.

Alkali induced changes in spatial distribution of functional groups in carboxymethylated cellulose

The aim of the work was to investigate treatment parameters that exert most influence on performance of cellulose fibers carboxymethylated from aqueous solutions. Viscose fibers were carboxymethylated in alkaline solutions of sodium monochloroacetate at two temperatures (30 °C, 50 °C) and with different levels of alkali (0.5 mol/L and 4 mol/L NaOH). The degree of carboxymethylation was assessed with both back titration and conductometric titration methods, and the performance of carboxymethylated fibers was assessed from their propensity for sorption of the cationic dye methylene blue, a putative wastewater contaminant. Higher degrees of carboxymethylation were generally observed for fibers carboxymethylated in 4 mol/L NaOH, but in dye sorption propensities, the fibers carboxymethylated in 0.5 mol/L NaOH performed better. A combination of observations from dye sorption, color measurement and conductometric titration suggested that dye permeation was greater through fibers carboxymethylated in 0.5 mol/L NaOH as compared to 4 mol/L NaOH. As permeability differences were evinced in cases also where the degrees of carboxymethylation were very similar, it appears that the reaction conditions (i.e., alkali content during carboxymethylation), in addition to degree of carboxymethylation, affected fiber performance. The effect of alkali may stem from their influence on the topographical distribution of the substituted carboxymethyl functional groups.

Highly efficient sorbent utilizing regenerated cellulose as an eco-friendly template for humic acid removal and oil–water separation processes

In this study, a novel and environmentally friendly sorbent was developed utilizing regenerated cellulose (RC) as a renewable resource. The preparation process of the regenerated cellulose hydrogel, following a bottom-up strategy, occurs in an aqueous system and offers the added benefits of temperature-induced gelation and solvent recyclability. The RC/PEI aerogel was prepared through a polyethyleneimine (PEI) modification and di-epoxide crosslinking process, which improves the gel's elastic recovery for the squeezing process and concurrently provides excellent ability to remove humic acid (HA) contaminants. As a result of the HA removal experiment using the RC/PEI aerogel in an aqueous environment, the gel showed an experimental HA adsorption capacity of 124.9 mg/g and qm value of 196.7 mg/g. Furthermore, the prepared RC hydrogel template was successfully transformed into a highly effective oil–water separation sorbent through a hydrophobic alkylated graphene oxide (AGO) coating process. Oil-water separation was carried out using AGO-RC/PEI gel, and it was possible to successfully adsorb the oil and then recover it through the squeezing process. In addition, long-term usability has been validated by demonstrating an oil adsorption capacity of over 84 %, even after ten consecutive reuses.

The multifunctional flexible conductive viscose fabric prepared by thiol modification followed by copper plating

Based on the current rapid development of electronic products, the development of light-weight, processable, environmentally friendly, long-life, durable, less corrosive, and tunable conductive composite materials with multiple applications may be the development direction of next-generation electronic devices. In this work, for the first time, we employed 3-Mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (3-MT) to modify viscose nonwovens and enhance the copper plating process. The prepared samples were characterized by Fourier transform infrared, Wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), scanning electron microscope + energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM + EDS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), electrical resistivity, anti-corrosion, Joule heating, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding. Results showed that 3-MT was covalently bound to the viscose surface through hydrolysis and condensation reactions and introduced SH groups. WAXD confirmed that the thiol modification did not change the internal crystal structure of viscose and copper ions. TGA and surface morphology analysis confirmed that the modified viscose promoted the deposition of metal particles in the copper plating process due to the affinity of thiol to metal so that copper particles almost completely wrapped the viscose fibers. In addition, 3MT@Cu@Viscose exhibits extremely low surface and volume resistivity (346.6 and 333.2 mΩ·m), improved corrosion resistance (corrosion rate reduced by 58% compared to the unmodified sample), fast Joule heating response (within 10 s) in low voltage (1 V) and excellent EMI shielding effectiveness (EMI SE > 50 dB). It showed great potential in future multi-functional electronic products such as electric heating sensors, smart clothing, and EMI shielding barrier.

Dissolving Pulp from Sansevieria Trifasciata Fiber Processed with Water-Pre-Hydrolysis, Soda-Anthraquinone Cooking and Clorine Free Bleaching<i> </i>

For a long time, rayon has been produced using dissolving pulp (DP). DP is typically made from wood or cotton, but it takes a long time to collect wood, and high-quality cotton must be imported from afar. Sansevieria trifasciata (ST) fiber, which contains more than 50% cellulose, offers potential as a raw material and a substitute for cotton and wood. It is simple to develop and grow. It can endure a wide range of light and temperature conditions. By using the water-pre-hydrolysis, soda-Anthraquinone cooking (soda-AQ), and elementary-chlorine-free (ECF) bleaching sequences, this work aims to convert ST into DP. Results, The DP was produced with a yield of 43.69%, a kappa value of 4.73, a viscosity of 9.3 cP, an alpha-cellulose content of 97.7% and a brightness of 90.7%, which was higher than the ISO brightness of 88%. The DP quality corresponds to the minimum DP level for rayon according to the Indonesian National Standard (SNI). It is very promising for further development, such as being used for viscose fiber production.

Sustainable utilization of pineapple fruit waste as a potential source of regenerated cellulose for the development of high-strength paper

Regenerated cellulose (RC) was prepared from pineapple crown waste fiber (PCWF) with a yield of about 45 %. The RC was blended with hardwood pulp (HP) to improve the mechanical properties of the paper. The composite paper with improved tensile index from 16.87 ± 0.75 NN mm/g to 28.98 ± 1.2 NN mm/g and burst index from 0.974 ±0 .083 kkPaPa mm22/g to 1.827 ±0 .153 kkPaPa mm22/g was developed by blending 20 % RC with 80 % HP. It was calculated that the production of one tonne of RC generates about 130 m3 of wastewater and it can be recycled after treatment with electrocoagulation technique. After wastewater treatment, chemical oxygen demand (COD) was reduced 84.8 %, total suspended solid (TSS) by 95.6 %, total dissolved solids (TDS) by 30.4 %, and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) by 95.8 %. Importantly, the recycling behavior by reusing/recycling the treated wastewater for the regeneration process was investigated and a yield of about 42 % of the RC was observed.

Immobilization of poly(hexamethylene biguanide) to cellulose acetate- and cellulose-based nanofiber membranes for antibacterial and cytotoxic studies

To develop the environmental antibacterial membrane, the physical attachments of poly (hexamethylene biguanide) hydrochloride (PHMB) on the cellulose acetate (CA) and regenerated cellulose (RC) electrospun nanofiber membranes were employed. The immobilization of PHMB increased the antibacterial efficacy (AE, %) of nanofiber membranes from 65.67% to approximately 86.13% for CA-PHMB and from 35.09% to approximately 100% for RC-PHMB. The results of the chemical and physical characteristics indicate that the degree of deacetylation of CA nanofiber, the surface charge of the nanofiber, and the density of PHMB immobilized onto the nanofiber primarily affect the antibacterial efficacy. The use of mathematical models, such as the Temkin equilibrium model for PHMB immobilization and the Monod-type model for the relationship between antibacterial activity and immobilization density of PHMB provides a deeper understanding of the interactions and kinetics involved. The rapid achievement of ∼100% AE after only 10 min of contact with Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a notable finding, indicating the quick and efficient antibacterial action of RC-PHMB nanofiber membranes. Furthermore, maintaining approximately 100% AE after 20 days of storage underscores the long-term stability of PHMB immobilized on RC nanofiber membranes. The findings suggest that RC-PHMB holds great promise as an antibacterial material for biomedical applications, food packaging industries, and filtration or treatment of water.

High thermal conductivity regenerated cellulose/carboxylated carbon nanotubes composite films with semi-insulating properties prepared via ionic coordination and hydrothermal synthesis of zinc oxide

With the rapid development of miniaturization and integration of electronic products, its heat dissipation has become the focus of research. In order to improve the heat dissipation efficiency of electronic components, flexible thermal conduction materials are constantly studied. Cellulose has good flexibility and load capacity, which is often used in the preparation of thermal conduction materials. In this paper, carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (C-MWCNTs) were modified by metal ion coordination and hydrothermal synthesis of zinc oxide (ZnO) to prepare semi-insulating thermal conduction fillers, which were dispersed into regenerated cellulose (RC) to cast to be composite films. The results show that the two modification methods can reduce the probability of phonon scattering and block the electron transport path, so as to improve the thermal conductivity (TC) and electrical insulation properties of the composite films. Especially for the RC/C-MWCNTs@ZnO composite films, when the total filler content is 20 wt%, the in-plane TC can reach 11.89 ± 0.19 (W/(m·K)), and the surface electrical resistivity (ρs) is (5.24 ± 0.17) × 106 Ω. Compared with the RC/C-MWCNTs composite films, the in-plane TC and ρs of the RC/C-MWCNTs@ZnO composites films are increased by about 94.92 % and 555 %, respectively. Therefore, the developed RC-based composite film has broad application prospects in thermal management.

A novel approach to produce neppy yarn in vortex spinning technology

A novel, cost-effective method for producing neppy yarn using the vortex spinning process was presented in this research. The vortex and ring spinning processes were utilized to produce 26/1 Ne neppy yarn from viscose rayon as a host fiber and polyester as a neppy fiber in three different ratios (98/2, 97/3, and 96/4). It was explored that neppy yarn produced by the vortex spinning system is aesthetically more appealing as it has very low hairiness, fewer coefficient of variation (CV%), and minimal thick and thin places compared to ring-spun neppy yarn. However, the count strength product (CSP) of the vortex-spun neppy yarn is comparatively lower than that of the ring-spun neppy yarn. The close engagement of the neppy fibers to the mother yarn in a vortex spinning system increased the neppy yarn’s aesthetic beauty and strengthened its endurance was a significant discovery of this study. The hairiness value of neppy yarns was measured numerically and evaluated statistically with one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and found significant differences between the two-spinning system. The adoption of the vortex spinning technique presents novel approaches for manufacturing neppy yarn, with potential advantages for the textile industry such as enhanced yarn quality, greater productivity, fewer machinery requirements, and ultimate cost-effectiveness.

Statistical study and investigation of the cut-resistant and thermo-physiological performance of protective gloves: a new prospective

Objectives. This research investigated the performance properties of protective gloves alongside improvement in thermo-physiological comfort properties. Methods. Knitted gloves prepared from filament stainless steel, filament Kevlar, staple spun Kevlar and filament glass were used in the core, while 100% viscose rayon and 50/50% polyester/viscose rayon were used in the sheath. Gloves were tested for cut resistance, tear resistance, puncture resistance and abrasion resistance as the prime focus, and thermo-physiological comfort properties were also tested. In this research, a multi-response optimization technique, i.e., principal component analysis, was applied to identify the best yarn combination for gloves based on the aforementioned properties. Thermal images were also taken in constant ambient conditions for temperature distribution maps across the hand’s surface. Results. All of the results were evaluated statistically with analysis of variance, and concluded that the effects of the core yarn on thermo-physiological properties were less significant. Conclusion. The results revealed that samples having dual-core yarn exhibited better in terms of overall properties. The sample having dual-core filament Kevlar and staple spun Kevlar ranked the best. In addition, developed samples exhibited better comfort properties than the control sample.

More efficient usage of natural dyes through incorporation of cationic polymer into viscose fibres

Natural colorants could serve as a bio-based alternative for synthetic textile dyes. Most natural colorants exhibit limited affinity to cellulosic fibres. As a result only light shades are obtained and the efficiency in use of the valuable plant extracts is low. By addition of a cationic polymer to the viscose spin dope regenerated cellulose, fibres with incorporated cationic groups are obtained. The presence of accessible cationic sites increases sorption of natural dyes substantially. In dyeing experiments with extracts from canadian goldenrod, green nut shell and ashes bark darker dyeings were obtained the modified viscose fibres compared to results on cotton or viscose fibres. The higher sorption of the natural dyes can be explained with dissociation of the extracted natural dye molecules under dyebath conditions. The formation of negatively charged dye molecules was confirmed with model calculations for species distribution using representative natural dye molecules as examples. The results indicate a strategy for a more economic use of plant based colorants, which is a condition for wider use of this renewable dye source.

Bilayer regenerated cellulose/quaternized chitosan-hyaluronic acid/collagen electrospun scaffold for potential wound healing applications

In this study, a bilayer electrospun scaffold has been prepared using regenerated cellulose (RC)/quaternized chitosan (CS) as the primary layer and collagen/hyaluronic acid (HA) as the second layer. An approximate 48 mol% substituted (estimated from 1H NMR) quaternized CS was used in this study. Both layers were crosslinked with EDC/NHS, reflecting an increase in UTS (2.29 MPa for the bilayer scaffold compared to 1.82 MPa for the RC scaffold). Initial cell viability, cell adhesion and proliferation, FDA staining for live cells, and hydroxyproline release rate from cells were evaluated with L929 mouse fibroblast cells. Also, detailed in vitro studies were performed using HADF cells, which include MTT Assay, Live/Dead imaging, DAPI staining, gene expression of PDGF, VEGF-A, and COL1 in RT-PCR, and cell cycle analysis. The collagen/HA-based bilayer scaffold depicted a 9.76-fold increase of VEGF-A compared to a 2.1-fold increase for the RC scaffold, indicating angiogenesis and vascularization potential. In vitro scratch assay was performed to observe the migration of cells in simulated wounds. Antimicrobial, antioxidant, and protease inhibitory activity were further performed, and overall, the primary results highlighted the potential usage of bilayer scaffold in wound healing applications.

Decoration of viscose fibers with silver nanoparticle-based titanium-organic framework for use in environmental applications.

To effectively remove pharmaceuticals, nitroaromatic compounds, and dyes from wastewater, an efficient multifunctional material was created based on silver nanoparticles (Ag) and MIL-125-NH2 (MOF) immobilized on viscose fibers (VF) as a support substrate. Firstly, silver nanoparticles (Ag) were immobilized on the surface of viscose fibers (VF) via in situ synthesis using trisodium citrate (TSC) as a reducing agent to create (VF-Ag). Then, VF and VF-Ag were decorated with the titanium metal-organic framework MIL-125-NH2 (MOF) to create VF-MOF and VF-Ag-MOF. The influence of VF-Ag, VF-MOF, and VF-Ag-MOF on the sonocatalytic or sonophotocatalytic degradation of sulfa drugs was investigated. The results show that VF-Ag-MOF showed excellent sonocatalytic and sonophotocatalytic activity towards the degradation of sulfa drugs compared to VF-Ag and VF-MOF. Furthermore, sonophotodegradation showed a dramatic enhancement in the efficiency of degradation of sulfa drugs compared to sonodegradation. The sonophotodegradation degradation percentage of sulfanilamide, sulfadiazine, and sulfamethazine drugs in the presence of VF-Ag-MOF was 65, 90, and 95 after 45min of ultrasonic and visible light irradiation. The catalytic activity of VF-Ag, VF-MOF, and VF-Ag-MOF was evaluated through the conversion of p-nitrophenol (4-NP) to p-aminophenol (4-AP). The results demonstrate that VF-Ag-MOF had the highest catalytic activity, followed by VF-Ag and VF-MOF. The conversion percentage of 4-NP to 4-AP was 69%. The catalytic or photocatalytic effects of VF-Ag, VF-MOF, and VF-Ag-MOF on the elimination of methylene blue (MB) dye were investigated. The results demonstrate that VF-Ag-MOF showed high efficiency in removing the MB dye through the reduction (65%) or photodegradation (71%) after 60min. VF-Ag-MOF composites structure-activity relationships represent that doping within silver NPs enhanced the photocatalytic activity of MIL-125-NH2, which could be explained as follows: (i) Due to the formation of a Schottky barrier at the junction between MIL-125-NH2 and Ag NPs, the photogenerated electrons in the conduction band of MIL-125-NH2 were supposed to be quickly transferred to the valence band of the Ag NPs, and subsequently, the electrons were transferred to the conduction band of Ag NPs. This considerable electron transferring process, which is reported as Z scheme heterojunction, can efficiently suppress the recombination of electron/hole pairs in VF-Ag-MIL-125-NH2 composites. (ii) Sufficient separation between the photogenerated charge carriers (holes and electrons) and avoiding their recombination enhanced the photocatalytic activity of composites.

Investigation into the effect of the blend ratio on the structure and properties of dual-feed-opening rotor-spun yarn

The scope of this study was to investigate the effect of the blend ratio on the structure and properties of dual-feed-opening rotor-spun yarn. A variety of yarns with different blended ratios were spun from two viscose fibers with the same properties but different colors. Through digital image processing technology, the ratios of the area occupied by the two fibers on the surface and the cross-section of the yarns were obtained. The results showed that the yarns with blend ratios of 40/60 and 50/50 had an obvious spacing phenomenon of two fiber segments on the surface. The ratio of the area occupied by the two fibers on the yarn surface was not equal to the value of the blend ratio. In the yarn cross-section, the difference in the area ratio of the two fibers to the blend ratio was subtle. The blend ratio had little effect on the mechanical properties (strength and elongation at break). However, the quantities of hairiness fluctuated greatly. The mass irregularity and imperfections decreased as the blend ratio approached 50/50. This work provides important guiding insights for the research of dual-feed-opening rotor-blended yarn.

Impact of Polylactic Acid Fibers in Cellulose Nonwoven Mulch Blends on Biodegradability and Performance-An Open Field Study.

The performance and degradation of nonwoven mulches made from viscose, jute, hemp fibers, and their blends with PLA fibers, subjected to field conditions, are investigated. This research explores the possible substitution of traditional agricultural polyethylene mulching agro foil with environmentally friendly biodegradable nonwoven mulches produced from blends of jute, hemp, and viscose fibers along with PLA fibers. The nonwoven mulches underwent a ten-month exposure to field conditions, showing varied degradation. The jute and hemp nonwoven mulches degraded completely within the test period, whereas their blends with PLA fibers exhibited slowed degradation. This study indicated that PLA fibers in blends with jute, hemp, and viscose mulches slowed degradation, impacting their structural integrity and tensile properties. The tensile properties of nonwoven mulches blended with 20% of PLA fibers increased the breaking forces after field exposure. Observations on structural changes through microscopy highlighted the structure maintenance in jute and hemp blends due to the non-degraded PLA fibers, contrasting the complete degradation of 100% jute and hemp mulches. A microscopic analysis revealed alterations in the fiber structure and density changes, particularly in viscose mulches and their blends with PLA fibers. Soil temperature variations were observed under different mulches; e.g., agro foil consistently exhibited higher temperatures compared to nonwoven mulches. Notably, the hemp and jute/PLA blend mulches showed slightly elevated temperatures, while the viscose-based mulches consistently revealed the lowest temperatures. Regarding soil moisture, the nonwoven mulches generally maintained higher moisture levels compared to the control field and agro foil from June to October. These findings suggest that nonwoven mulches effectively preserved soil moisture during critical growth periods, potentially positively impacting plant growth. The weed suppression capabilities varied among mulches, with hemp mulch initially displaying the lowest suppression ability in the first six months. The addition of 20% of PLA fibers in mulch blends with viscose, jute, and hemp notably improved the weed control capabilities. Understanding the impacts of field conditions on newly produced nonwoven mulches is crucial for optimizing mulch selection in agricultural practices to enhance soil conditions and weed management.

Development of Polypyrrole (PPy) and Regenerated Cellulose (RC) Based Composite Induced by Gamma Irradiation and Its Electrical Conductivity

Development of Polypyrrole (PPy) and Regenerated Cellulose (RC) Based Composite Induced by Gamma Irradiation and Its Electrical Conductivity

Development of a Novel Energy Saving and Environmentally Friendly Starch via a Graft Copolymerization Strategy for Efficient Warp Sizing and Easy Removal.

Warp sizing is a key process in textile production. However, before the yarn/fabric finishing, such as dyeing, the paste adhering to the warp must be eliminated to ensure optimal dyeing properties and the flexibility of the fabric. Therefore, the sizing will often consume a lot of energy and produce a lot of industrial wastewater, which will cause serious harm to the environment. In this study, we have developed an energy saving and environmentally friendly starch-based slurry by modifying natural starch with acrylamide. The paste has excellent viscosity stability and fiber adhesion, and exhibits excellent performance during warp sizing. In addition, the slurry has good water solubility at 60-70 °C, so it is easy to desize at low temperatures. Because of this, the sizing of the warp can be deslimed directly from the yarn during subsequent washing processes. This work can not only reduce some costs for the textile industry, but also achieve the purpose of energy conservation and emission reduction.