Applications of Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy to Investigations of Cotton and Modified Cottons

The KBr technique to obtain spectra of cotton cellulose has been applied satisfactorily to an investigation of physical and crystalline modifications and to changes resulting from oxidation. Several experiments to illustrate applications are described. The potential applications to investigations suggested in the literature are reviewed. It has been shown that infrared absorption spectra of cotton cellulose can be used to follow changes in hydrogen bonding by the classical method of observing the exact wavelengths of the O-H stretching vibrations. Degree of crystallinity can be measured quantitatively by use of ratios of intensities of preselected absorption bands. Oxidation changes can be followed only where such processes result in the formation of C = O groups per se in the oxidized cotton.