The Swelling of Cotton in Water

Abstract

A method is described for comparing microscopically the cross-sectional areas of the same cotton fiber in wet and dry conditions, for evaluation of swelling. Results indicate the change in cross-sectional area of raw cotton fibers to be between 21 % and 34% of the dry area regardless of variety of cotton or degree of maturity of the fiber. Immature samples show slightly less mean swelling than mature samples, but this is believed to be due to the presence of fibers with no secondary thickening at all which tend to shrink in cross-sectional area rather than swell. In the immature fibers deformation (defined as change in circularity) is slightly more than that of mature fibers. This, coupled with the fact that in a given weight of immature fibers there are approximately twice as many fibers as in a like weight of mature fibers, helps to explain the greater closing capacity of yarns made from immature cotton. Flax and a sample of viscose rayon show twice the swelling of cotton, Fortisan two-thirds as much, and nylon no cross- sectional swelling at all.