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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #77346
Title: CHEMICAL/PHYSICAL RETTING OF FLAX USING DETERGENT AND OXALIC ACID AT HIGH PH.

Author
item HENRIKSSON, GUNNAR - UNV OF GA BIOCHEM DPT
item ERIKSSON, KARL-ERIK - UNV OF GA BIOCHEM DPT
item AKIN, DANNY

Submitted to: Textile Research Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/5/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The re-establishment of flax for textile use in the U.S. offers economic benefit to farmers through new crops and to industries through added value to products. However, one major problem that requires research is the isolating of the fibers from the flax stems, a process called retting. Research was undertaken to evaluate using chemicals and physical treatment to ret fibers of more consistent quality than the current process. Result indicated that this process could produce a brighter fiber than other methods within about 2 hours and, therefore, could offer an economic advantage over the current method of dew-retting.

Technical Abstract: An oxalic acid-based system for chemical retting of flax has been tested. The retting effect was substantially higher at pH 10 and 11 than at lower pH levels. The optimal oxalic acid concentration was 50 mM. Presence of the strong detergent sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) further enhanced retting. The rate of retting with the oxalic acid/SDS mixture at pH 10 was strongly temperature dependent, and at 75 deg C the process was completed within 2 h. The potentials for successful retting with this method are discussed.