A Study on the Tension and Slack Mercerization of Cotton Fabrics

견직물의 긴장과 무긴장머어서화 가공에 관한 연구

Cotton fabrics were mercerized in ammonia water, sodium hydroxide and mixture of ammonia/sodium hydroxide, slack and under tension. X-ray and infrared spectra analyses were used to measure crystallinity of treated cottons. Changes due to swelling, which took place in the accessible regions were determined by moisture regain and dye adsorption. In addition to that crease recovery was compared mutually, and breaking strength-elongation compared, too. Both ammonia water and caustic treatments produced changes in morphology (swollen fibers, decrease in convolutions) and in fine structure of the cellulose (increase accessibility as measured by increased moisture regain, dye adsorption). X-ray diffraction showed partial recrystallization into cellulose III lattic after tension treatment with ammonia water. Both reagents produced increased cotton elongation-at-break with slack mercerization, increased cotton breaking strength with tension mercerization, and increased moisture regain or dye adsorption with slack mercerization.