THE EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON THE ABSORPTION OF WATER BY SODA-BOILED COTTON

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Abstract
Little work has hitherto been published on the effect of temperature on the absorption of water by cotton, and no data were available for temperatures higher than 38°C. The present experiments deal with the absorption of water by cotton, at all humidities and at temperatures up to 110°C., the data being therefore of practical application not only to the testing of cotton materials but also to the control of the conditions prevailing in the steamer used in calico printing. The results show that when the relative humidity is constant at less than 80%. increase of temperature from 10° to 110°C. decreases the moisture content of the cotton. When, however, the relative humidity is constant at more than 80%, a similar decrease in moisture content only occurs as the temperature is raised from 10° to 50°C., whilst from 60°C. to 110°C. the moisture content may actually increase with rise of temperature. It appears, therefore, that the increase of moisture content, under constant high humidities, which begins at about 60°C., is due to swelling of the material and the consequent exposure of new surface. Any process which depends for its success on the swollen state of the cotton will consequently become easier above 60°C. at high humidities. The most suitable conditions for such a process as steaming in calico printing, which depends largely on the moisture content of the cotton, can therefore be assessed as a temperature of 100°C. and relative humidity of 100%.

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