Effect of Mercerization on the Relation Between Single Fiber Mechanical Properties and Fine Structure for Different Cotton Species

Abstract

Five G. barbadense species obtained from Egypt (Dendara, and Gizas 75, 76, 77, and 80), one American G. barbadense cotton (Pima S-5), and one American G. hirsutum cotton (Deltapine Smooth Leaf) were studied. Mercerization appeared to decrease the crystallinity of the G. hirsutum cotton more than that of the G. barbadense types. The mercerization treatment also appeared to have swollen the G. hirsutum fibers by a greater amount. The large increase in breaking load of the Deltapine Smooth Leaf cotton, which occurred on mercerization, may be due to the lower crystallinity and smaller crystallite lengths induced in these fibers by this treatment. The breaking load of the G. barbadense fibers either increased by smaller amounts than that obtained with the G. hirsutum sample or it fell. Mercerization appeared to reduce the brittleness of the Egyptian G. barbadense varieties; however, the changes were small and with Dendara, insignificant. For Pima S-5, brittleness did not change, and with Deltapine Smooth Leaf, the apparent increase in brittleness was insignificant. Mercerization appeared to improve the flex lives of the Giza 76, Giza 80, Pima S-5, and Deltapine Smooth Leaf samples, but the evidence for an increase was not as strong in the case of Giza 75, Giza 77, and Dendara. Mercerized Gizas 76 and 77 appeared to have the shortest flex lives of all the mercerized G. barbadense samples tested.