Wax Content as Related to Surface Area of Cotton Fibers

Abstract

Among a group of 62 essentially unweathered fiber samples from American upland cotton plants of different inherent and environmental background, percent wax was found to be rather closely proportional to surface area per unit weight of fiber as determined by the air-flow method of Sullivan and Hertel [22]. The weight of wax per unit of fiber surface was thus a relatively constant quantity, although not an absolutely constant one, among these samples. Results of melting-point determinations did not suggest the probability of important qualitative differences in wax composition at the time of boll opening among the several American upland cottons studied, the sole exception encountered being the high-melting-point wax from the green-lint high-wax cotton previously reported by Conrad [6]. In a group of twelve Sea Island hybrids, both the amount of wax per unit fiber surface and the wax melting points were similar to the results obtained for American upland types. Five Indian cottons all had very low wax percentages; their surface areas were below the normal range of the method for surface-area determination. Weathering of cotton in the field before harvest resulted in higher wax contents as measured by the Conrad [7] method and lower wax melting points than were found for similar but un weathered samples. Further work is required to indicate the nature of the causal factors in volved in this change which occurs during weathering.

Multiscale Frictional Properties of Cotton Fibers: A Review

“…Cotton fiber wax content varies significantly among different varieties. Various studies have reported a strong positive relationship between cotton fibers wax content and their surface area [73,74,[172][173][174]. El Mogahzy showed that the frictional properties of cotton fibers are influenced by their wax content [73].…”

Cotton fibre quality

“…[93][94][95][96] Only a limited amount of work in establishing the quantitative and qualitative differences in wax content among different cotton samples to the varietal and/or environmental background of the plant has been published. Most of these studies [97][98][99] found that the chemical components of wax from different varieties and species were very similar. However, in two circumstances Marsh et al 98 and Gordon et al 99 cottons with waxes that were significantly different in content were found.…”

“…Most of these studies [97][98][99] found that the chemical components of wax from different varieties and species were very similar. However, in two circumstances Marsh et al 98 and Gordon et al 99 cottons with waxes that were significantly different in content were found. Marsh et al 98 found wax from cotton exposed to weathering had a lower melting point, and higher wax content as measured by the Conrad method, whilst Gordon et al 99 found some low Micronaire cotton in the set examined had much higher concentrations of hydrocarbon or alkane waxes.…”

Formation of Cellulose Ethers in Water-Repellency Treatment of Cotton with Stearamidomethyl pyridinium Chloride

“…The results after chloroform extractions are shown in Table V. It is seen that all samples retained very good water-repellency through extraction. The finish produced was resistant to laundering, [11][12][13][14] launderings being required to remove the water-repellency (Figure 2). …”

“…Water-repellency has been observed by other workers with amounts of this mag- nitude. Marsh et al [13], for example, working with a number of varieties of cotton, found that raw cotton contains 0.5 % to 0.7% wax and is notably water-repellent until scoured or mechanically damaged. Walker [20] calculated that approximately 1% of water will completely cover the available surface of cotton fibers.…”