Length-Change Phenomena Accompanying Liquid-Ammonia and Caustic Mercerization

Changes in length of cotton yarns were monitored during treatment with liquid ammonia and with sodium hydroxide of mercerizing strength. Yarns were placed under levels of tension ranging from 1% to approximately 70% of average breaking strength, either before or after the swelling agent was applied. Some general relationships between method of treatment and the resulting yarn-length changes should be useful in understanding the physical changes that take place upon technical applications of mercerizing agents.