X-ray Crystallinity of Bleached and Crosslinked Cottons

An X-ray diffractometer was used to study the crystalline structure of cotton fibers after bleaching, crosslinking and a combination of bleaching and crosslinking treatments. Wet crosslinking was accomplished with formaldehyde (Form W) and dry crosslinking was carried out with either dimethyloldihydroxyethyleneurea (DMDHEU) or citric acid (CA). Results indicated that crosslinking of bleached cotton did not change the crystalline nature of cotton (i.e. it was Cellulose I), but did increase its degree of crystallinity when crosslinked with either DMDHEU or CA; crosslinked formaldehyde (Form W) was relatively less crystalline.