Mercerization and crimp formation in jute

Abstract

<span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%; font-family:" calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:="" "times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;mso-hansi-theme-font:="" minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;="" color:black;mso-ansi-language:en-us;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:="" ar-sa"="">The mercerization effects of aqueous NaOH solution of varying concentrations on the isolated ultimate cells and the fibre strands of jute have been studied<span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%; font-family:" calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:="" "times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;mso-hansi-theme-font:="" minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;="" color:#292929;mso-ansi-language:en-us;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:="" ar-sa"="">. <span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: " calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:="" "times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;mso-hansi-theme-font:="" minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;="" color:black;mso-ansi-language:en-us;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:="" ar-sa"="">It is observed that the treatment with higher concentration of alkali (12% and above) results in a decrease in crystallinity index and deterioration in overall molecular orientation along with the change in crystalline lattice from cellulose I to cellulose II. The changes in the supermolecular structure and morphology of cellulose in the ultimate cells appear to be mainly responsible for the development of crimp in jute. A qualitative mechanism for the three-dimensional crimp formation in jute has also been discussed in terms of rearrangement of internal molecular forces in cellulose on mercerization.</span></span></span>