Shrinkage of Cotton Fibers in Sodium Hydroxide Solutions and Resulting Elastic Properties

Abstract

Since the shrinkage of the constituent fibers represents a fundamental change during the slack mercerization of cotton yarns and fabrics, the literature on shrinkage of fibers as such in sodium hydroxide solutions has been reviewed; also that on the elastic properties of air-dry mercerized fibers in comparison with those of the original untreated fibers. It has been reported that raw cotton fibers shrink less than purified fibers. Elongation at break is increased by mercerization of fibers while they are free to shrink, but the shrunken fibers have little if any greater elastic recovery from moderate stretch than similar untreated fibers. Data are included on fibers taken from 2-ply yarns that were mercerized without tension. These fibers seem to have been completely shrunken in the yarn, in which the fibers, if free to swell, apparently shrink as a group.