Molecular Weight of Cotton Cellulose: Effect of Treatment with a Total Cellulase

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Abstract
Cotton fabric is treated with a total cellulase preparation in either a Launderometer or a reciprocal water bath/shaker for times ranging from 10 to 180 minutes. Control fabrics, buffer-only treated fabrics, and cellulase-treated fabrics are analyzed by gel permeation chromatography to determine peak, weight-average, and number-average molecular weights. The GPC data are compared to weight loss and breaking load mea surements on control and treated fabrics. Despite considerable weight loss and breaking load reduction with the total cellulase treatment in the Launderometer, GPC analysis does not show a reduction in the molecular weight of the cellulose.