This article describes an efficient method for suppressing fibrillation in as-spun regenerated cellulose fiber prepared using high molecular weight (DP 1600) cotton linter pulp/NMMO solution as the starting materials via Lyocell process. The regenerated cellulose fibers were spun using a custom-made lab scale dry jet-wet spinning apparatus, and their physical properties such as birefringence, crystallinity, orientation and lateral order indices, and fibrillation tendency were investigated. Further, the relationship between chain orientation and fibrillation tendency in the cellulose fibers were discussed as a function of varying molecular weights (DP 1000, 1600, and 1600/1000 (95/5) mixture), dope concentrations (6-13 wt%) and take-up speed (10, 30, and 50 m/min). Regenerated cellulose fibers spun from high molecular weight cotton linter pulp (DP 1600) at lower dope concentrations (6-8 wt%) exhibit least fibrillation behavior, whereas the cellulose fibers spun from higher dope concentration (9 wt%) using low molecular weight cotton linter pulp (DP 1000) as well as the mixture (DP 1600/1000 (95/5)) exhibited considerable amount of fibrillation. The results are reported in detail.

Compared to the conventional viscose rayon process, Lyocell process using NMMO as a solvent provides a naturally-friendly, less toxic, relatively simple method for producing regenerated cellulose fiber with excellent properties. Existing wood pulp based Lyocell, however, shows some disadvantages such as forest destruction. So, in this study, a novel regenerated cellulose fiber, cotton linter based Lyocell, was prepared by dry jet-wet spinning with a lab scale equipment changing concentration of cellulose/NMMO solution, take-up speed, etc, which are strongly related with fiber properties and its properties were compared with wood pulp based Lyocell fiber. The tenacity and strain at break of the resultant fibers were correlated with the intrinsic fiber properties such as birefringence, crystallinity, and crystalline orientation index.