Author
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Brushwood, Donald |
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Submitted to: Canadian Textile Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 11/24/1997 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Raw cottons that are contaminated with insect honeydew are very sticky. This stickiness causes numerous problems in all phases of textile processing. Production and quality losses occur during the normal passage of the cotton fiber through the yarn processing because of interruptions in production as a result of build up of materials on rolls and other parts of machinery. All these problems lead to significantly higher operating costs and lost time to mills. Methods that are effective in reducing stickiness from honeydew and high natural sugar levels on cotton must be developed to make processing possible. Laboratory experiments on sticky raw cottons employing high moisture contents to chemically decompose or disperse the randomly deposited honeydew on the surface of the cotton as well as reduce their overall stickiness were conducted. Several different moisture levels and storage times were investigated at ambient temperatures. Chemical and physical measurements for each treatment are detailed. The objective of this study was to optimize the reduction in cotton stickiness with minimal effects on quality. Moisture levels and storage times used in this study accomplished the desired effect, however, lower moisture storage levels at similar storage times are recommended to preserve quality. Technical Abstract: Studies on a laboratory scale to examine the feasibility of using high moisture content during storage to reduce stickiness in cotton were conducted. Highly sticky whitefly contaminated raw cottons were treated initially with water to bring to overall moisture content to 15%, 30%, and 40% moisture. These cottons were stored for 1, 5, 10, and 15 days at room temperatures. At each stage of treatment and storage, reducing sugars, thermodetector stickiness, and individual sugar contents as determined by anion High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) were conducted to determine effectiveness of these treatments. The influence of these treatments on fiber quality in the form of Stelometer strength and colorimeter reflectance and yellowness were also determined. Reductions in stickiness were achieved, however, cotton quality was affected particularly at high moisture levels and longer storage times. |
