Response of Cottons to Chemical Treatments

Abstract

Single fibers from six widely different cottons were subjected to a single-fiber resin- finishing treatment during which each fiber was maintained under a controlled tension of 100 mg. Dimethylol-ethylene-urea (DMEU) was used as the resin finishing agent. Fibers receiving suitable control treatments were also examined. The mechanical properties of the treated single fibers were evaluated by a cyclic loading procedure on an Instron tensile tester. It was found that water and blank catalyst treatments did not affect the fiber rupture properties, but that the DMEU treatments caused a signifi cant reduction. Fiber elastic modulus and fiber resilience were increased slightly by the blank treatments but a major increase in these properties resulted from the DMEU resin-finishing treatment.