Investigation into Cotton Fibre Morphology Part III: Effect of Alcohol Treatment on Water Absorption

摘要

The effect of alcohol-boiling on cotton having various degrees of maturity has been investigated. It was found that absorbency of cotton increases with alcohol treatment. Proportionately higher percentage increases are obtained with cottons of higher maturity values. The limiting interfibrillar diameter for alcohol penetration apears to be 0.62 nm, as noted from the absorption results on post treatment with propan-1- and 2-ol. The increased absorbency after alcohol treatment has been proposed to be due to the formation of voids created by the dissolution of alcohol-soluble framents within the cellulose structure, which now becomes accessible to the smaller, polar water molecules. It is also proposed, from the absorbency results, that the very short staple length cotton investigated in this research is in an undeveloped state up to a micronaire value of 5.0.