AbstractMechanical processing of cotton cellulose by means of a fiber cutter resulted in the disaggregation and defiberation of fiber bundles, shortening of fiber length, and loss of degree of polymerization. It is evident that the mechanical energy supplied by shear forces is sufficient to cause homolytic scission of cellulose main chains. Mechanoradicals formed in the interim were verified by ESR studies. The crystallinity of cellulose was not influenced by mechanical treatments, but accessibility of the polymer was substantially increased due to the creation of new surfaces. The mechanically treated fiber inclined to proceeded oxidative chain reaction during aging. Regardless of their treatment conditions, cellulose fiber reached its limiting lower molecular weight after 100 days of aging.
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