Change due to mercerization

A. Fiber level
1. Swelling
2. Cross sectional morphology changes from beam shape to round shape.
3. Shrinkage along with longitudinal direction.

B. Molecular level
1. Hydrogen bond readjustment.
2. Orientation (parallelization) of molecular chains in amorphous region along the direction
of fiber length.
3. Orientation of the crystallinity in the direction of the fiber length.

C. Chemical Changes
1. Increased rate of reaction on hydrolysis and oxidation
2. Liberation of heat during the caustic treatment.(heat of sorption and heat of reaction)
3. Increase in the alkali absorption.
4. Increase in the absorption of iodine. Changes during mercerizing process
 Mercerizing
Mercerizing is a pre-treatment or finishing treatment for cotton articles
and/or natural fibres composed by cellulose in a higher concentrated
solution of caustic soda (300 g/l), under tension and ambient temperature.
• It was discovered in 1844 by John Mercer of England,
• who treated cotton fibers with sodium hydroxide.
• The treatment caused the fibers to swell.
• The overall fabric size shrank and made it stronger and
easier to dye.
• The process did not become popular until H. A. Lowe
• improved it into its modern form in 1890.
• By holding the cotton during treatment to prevent it
• from shrinking, Lowe found that the fibre gained a
• lustrous appearance.
• John Mercer discovered it in 1844. In his experiment,
he observed:
• 1. Shrinkage in fabric and yarn
• 2. Increase in moisture absorbency
• 3. Increase in dye uptake
• 4. Increase in chemical reactivity
• 5. Increase in tensile strength
Discovery of most important effect of silk like Luster was
unknown till 1890 when Horace Lowe, another English
man discovered it perhaps unintentionally.
• The modern production method for mercerised
• cotton, also known as "pearl" or "pearle" cotton,
• gives cotton thread (or cotton-covered thread
with a polyester core) a sodium hydroxide bath
that is then neutralized with an acid bath.
This treatment increases lustre, strength,affinity to
dye, resistance to mildew.
Mercerised thread is commonly used to produce
fine thread.
Mercerization
 Conditions for mercerization
• Application of caustic soda solution around
55-60 Tw (=31 to 35%) at room temperature
of 15 to 18 C.
• A dwell period of 55sec on an average
• Tension at both direction
• Finally washing off of alkali from the treted
fabrics or yarn.
 OBJECTIVES:

❖To improve elasticity

❖To improve luster of cotton material
❖To improve strength and mechanical
properties
❖To improve dye ability and moisture
absorbency
❖To improve dimensional stability of material
 At which stage mercerization can be
done?
• Mercerization is possible
• - on grey goods
• - after desizing
• - after desizing and scouring
• - after bleaching
• - after dyeing.
• Mercerization of cotton is done in three basic
stages of materials. They are as:
• Yarn stage
• 1. Hank form
• 2. Package form
• 3. Beam form
• Fabric stage
• 1. Knitted fabric
• 2. Woven fabric
 PHYSICAL CHANGE:

▪ Improvement in strength
▪ Improvement in luster
▪ Change in cross section from bean shape to
circular shape
▪ Change in longitudinal view convoluted to
cylindrical
 CHEMICAL CHANGE:

▪Formation of cellulose –ii

▪Improvement of moisture regain
▪Improvement in dye uptake
1.Classification according to the form
of the product
a) Yarn mercerization

Batch :
• Hank mercerization
• Cheese mercerization
Continuous :
• Single end mercerization
• Tow mercerization
• Warp mercerization
b) Knit Mercerization
• Open mercerization
• Closed mercerization (Round mercerization,
tubular knit mercerization)
c) Cloth mercerization
• Chainless mercerization (Roller mercerization)
• Chain mercerization (Stenter mercerization)
• Batch-up mercerization
 2.Classification according to the
mercerizing conditions
a) Water content
• Dry mercerization
• Wet mercerization
b) Tension
Fixed-length mercerization
• Tension mercerization
• Tensionless mercerization
 3.Classification according to timing

• Gray mercerization
• Pre-dyeing mercerization
• Post-dyeing mercerization

• 4. Classification according to the number of

treatments
• Single mercerization
• Double mercerization
• 5. Classification according to the type of
alkali used
• Caustic soda mercerization
• Ammonia mercerization
• 6. Other
Alkali pad-dry method
• Alkali pad-steam method
 Effect of Mercerization:
▪ Improve Luster.
▪ Increase ability to absorb dye.
▪ Improve reaction with a verity of chemicals.
▪ Improve stability of form.
▪ Improve strength/elongation.
▪ Improve smoothness.
▪ It has been shown that the increase in the luster
occurs because of an effect.
▪ The cotton fiber do convoluted.
▪ The cross-sectional shape changes.
 Increase in Lusture

• Unmercerized cotton has a

general appearance of a flat
ribbon with spiral twists, its
surface is rough and non-
uniform, its cross-section is
irregular and ear-shaped .

• All these factors result in less

lustre.

• When a cotton fiber is brought

into an aqueous solution of
sodium hydroxide cellulose
begins to swell immediately,
the fiber is elliptical in section
in a few seconds, and on
further swelling becomes
circular.
 Increase in Lusture

• The untwisting of the fibre takes place under effect of swelling and
increased alignment.

• When cotton is mercerized without tension, the fibre while much

smoother and rounder with little or no twist, still show residual
creases and wrinkles and there is no appreciable increase in lustre
as the cross-section is oval.

• Lustre increases as the tension applied to the fibre during

mercerization is increased.

• It also depends on concentration, and increases from 180 g/l of

NaOH solution to a maximum at 260-300 g/l, then decreases
slightly
 The lusture of mercerised cotton
depends on various factors
• Cross section of the fiber
• Staple length of the fiber
• Wall thickness of the fiber
• Concentration of NaOH
• Temperature
• Yarn construction
• Yarn twist
• Degree of singeing
• Application of tension
• Rate of drying
 Gain in strength
• Mercerization increases the tensile strength of
cotton fibres by eliminating the weakest
points in the fibre.

• Mercerization increases the cohesion between

individual cotton fibers and this closer
embedding not only increases the strength
but makes it more uniform in strength.
 Increased moisture absorption
• Mercerized celluloses absorb more water, have higher regains and more
easily wet out than unmercerized fibres.

• Due to caustic soda penetration, many hydrogen bonds are broken and it
is estimated that the number of available, hydroxyl groups are increased
by about 25%.

• Mercerization, thus decreases the amount of crystalline part or increases

the amorphous content of the fibre.

• When mercerization is carried out under tension, the changes in

crystalline portion is comparatively lower than that without tension and
hence also the moisture sorption.

• Standard cotton has moisture content of about 7%, mercerized cotton

with tension has about 9% and that of without tension about 11%.
 Effect of mercerization condition
▪ Concentration of Caustic soda solution
▪ Temperature
▪ Tension
▪ Time
▪ Wash thoroughly
▪ Wetting agent
 Concentration of Soda
• Dye absorption increases with increasing
caustic soda conc. Up to 13%.
• Tensile strength increases with increasing
caustic soda conc. Up to 13% and further
slight increases with increasing conc. Up to
27%.
• If caustic soda conc. Increases above 27%
tensile strength falls rapidly.
• Most commonly used conc. Is 21-22%.
 Temperature
• Commercially mercerization is carried out at a
temperature range of 15-20C.
• Ideal temperature >15C
 Tension
• Mercerization without tension gives no lustre
and causes a considerable shrinkage.
• Elongation at break decrease when tension
increase.
 Time
• Ideal time for mercerization is 30S to 2 min.
• 30-60S is enough for mercerization in 55 Tw
caustic conc.
• When caustic conc. Is less, temp is increased
then time is increased.
 Washing thoroughly

• Washing under stretched condition after

mercerization is very important.
• In commercial mercerization process, the strong
NaOH is washed out of cotton by hot water.
• After washing, caustic soda concentration in the
fabric must be less than 8%, otherwise shrinkage
occurs if tension is reduced.
• 0.1-0.5% HCl may be used to neutralized caustic
soda.
 Wetting agent
• A wetting agent is included in the mercerizing
liquor which reduces mercerization time as a
result of uniform and rapid penetration of
NaOH.
• Commonly 0.5-1% of wetting agent is used.
• For grey fabric, this amount may be 2%.
 Requirement of good wetting agents

• It should posses a high wetting power.

• It should disperse perfectly.
• It should be able to reduce the surface tension
of water.
• Its effect on mercerizing liquor should be
permanent.
 Cold mercerization
• The mercerization process take place at the 15 to
18˚C with 31 to 35% caustic soda solution, with a
dwelling period of 50 sec.
• At this stage cotton swell best but also fastest.
The fast swelling increased the outer edge
density of fibers.
• The viscosity of caustic soda such that the
penetration into gray fabric become difficult,
which result the poor mercerization of core and
the lack of uniformity as the reaction is restricted
to the surface of the yarn or fabric.
 Hot mercerization
The mercerization process take place at higher
temperature with 30 to 38 Beʹ caustic soda
solution, with a dwelling period of 20 to 30 sec.

Advantages of hot mercerization

• Rapid penetration of alkali
• Improve core mercerization
• More uniform treatment
• Low dwell time
 Disadvantage
• Less luster
• High energy consumption
 LIQUID AMMONIA MERCERIZATION:
• Treatment of cotton fibers with liquid
ammonia produces similar effect that of
mercerization
• The liquid ammonia treatment is widely
accepted for yarn used in sewing thread and
special fabric like denims, pillow material
corduroys, linen, jute and blend of cellulose
with PET or NYLON.
Effect of Ammonia Mercerization:
• Dye uptake % increased.
• Enhanced tear resistance as well as tensile strength.
• Excellent form stability ( having good Wash & Wear
properties)
• Fibers keep their soft feel as no damage is done by this
processing.
• Highly uniform dyeing properties.
• Increase in fiber elasticity.
• Increase in wrinkle resistance.
• Low shrinkage in post washing.
• More rounded yarn structure and orientation.
• This process add gentle, elegant luster to the fiber.
Application of Ammonia Mercerization on Types Yarns
& Fabrics:

• Sewing Thread
• Denim
• Corduroy
• Chambray
• Pillow Material
• Jute cloth
• Linen fabric
• Cotton PET Blend fabric
• Cotton Nylon Blend fabric
 ADVANTAGE OF AMMONIA
MERCERIZATION
• Evenness and uniformity of swelling
comparatively better.
• Higher productivity.
• Higher quality fabric.
• Jute and linen can be mercerized.
• Less pollution.
• Longer life after long periods of wear and
repeated washing.
• Safe treatment of more sensitive fibers like flax or
silk.
 DIS-ADVANTAGE OF AMMONIA
MERCERIZATION:
▪ Large capital investment for NH3 recovery.
▪ Leakages cause great harm to personnel
working.
▪ Lower color yield.
▪ NH3 recovery problem.
▪ Non-availability of machine.
▪ Very costly equipments.
Comparison of mercerization
processes
• Chain Type Mercerization Machine
• In this machine fabric is allowed to shrink freely
width wise after passing the fabric or yarn in two
padders of NaOH solution. Then the fabric
brought back almost to its original dimension by
stretching both warp & weft direction. By
adjusting speed of two alkalis padders rollers;
warp wise tension is produced while the weft
stretching is done on clip stentor 14.
Chain Type Mercerization Machine
 Roller Mercerization Machine.

• In this machine fabric is firmly held b/w the set of

rubber & steel rollers during treatment and its
not allowed to shrink at all for time until the
strength of alkali is brought down by washing
with water or dilute alkali solution. The width
shrinkage is controlled by protecting the slippage
from the nip of the roller during impregnation
stage, while the shrinkage in length wise is
controlled by maintaining a speed difference
between the cloth feeding Squeezing rollers of
the impregnation compartment.
Roller Mercerization Machine.
 Estimation methods
The mercerizing effect can be estimated by the
following tests-
• Deconvolution /Microscopic test
• Brightness test
• Dye absorption test
• Determination of Barrium Activity Number
(BAN)
• Easy test method.
 Determination of Barrium Activity
Number(BAN)
• This is the mostly used test.
• BAN is defined as the ratio of amount of
Ba(OH)2 absorbed by mercerized sample to
that by the same amount of un mercerized
sample
• Barrium Activity Number=
Ba(OH)2 absorbed by mercerized cotton material
Ba(OH)2 absorbed by the same amount of
unmercerized cotton material
• BAN is always greater than 100.
• Acceptable range is 115-135
• Highly mercerized – 140-150