COTTON HAIRS IN SOLUTIONS OF LITHIUM, RUBIDIUM, AND CÆSIUM HYDROXIDES

Abstract

The present paper completes a study of the dimensional changes suffered by single cotton hairs when immersed in solutions of the five alkali metal hydroxides, the three rare members of the series having been included in order to throw some light on the theory of the swelling process. The fact that sodium hydroxide is by far the most effective member of the group as a mercerising agent is confirmed, and it is also shown that with either lithium, sodium, potassium or rubidium hydroxide, maximum swelling is brought about by that solution in which the metallic ion is fully hydrated.