Synergistic Effect of Mixed Bases in the Conversion of Cotton Cellulose I to Cellulose II

Abstract

Several aqueous bases were found which swell cotton yarn greatly, but, after their removal from the cotton, leave the x-ray diffraction pattern unchanged from that of native cellulose I. Such bases include 9.5% lithium hydroxide and 35% benzyltrimethylammonium hydroxide. However, the addition of as little as 1.5% lithium hydroxide or 5% sodium hydroxide, to the benzyltrimethylammonium hydroxide causes substantial conversion of cellulose I to cellulose II. This synergistic effect is attributed to the decrystallizing action of the organic base which, by breaking down the cellulose I lattice, facilitates the action of lithium, sodium, and potassium hydroxides in forming alkali cellulose lattices leading to cellulose II. Rubidium and cesium hydroxides failed to produce this effect when added to the organic base. Cellulose swelling, decrystallization, and recrystallization appear to be distinct steps in lattice conversion. These steps may present greatly different requirements as to optimum cation size and coordination, such requirements being more readily met by mixtures of cations than by any one species. In the absence of the quaternary base, but at alkali concentrations giving maximum fiber swelling, no lattice conversion was produced by lithium or cesium hydroxides, a high degree of conversion occurred with sodium hydroxide, and the other alkalies were intermediate in effect. The strength, elongation, energy-to-rupture, and tenacity of treated yarns varied greatly with the cations present in the alkali. In contrast to yarn, fiber bundles underwent slow and partial conversion to cellulose II by the quaternary base.