This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Evans, J. D. Articles by Foulk, J. A. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Modifying Dew-Retted Flax Fibers and Yarns with a Secondary Enzymatic Treatment

USDA, ARS, Richard B. Russell Agricultural Research Center, Athens, Georgia 30604, U.S.A.

Danny E. Akin

USDA, ARS, Richard B. Russell Agricultural Research Center, Athens, Georgia 30604, U.S.A.

W. Herbert Morrison

USDA, ARS, Richard B. Russell Agricultural Research Center, Athens, Georgia 30604, U.S.A.

David S. Himmelsbach

USDA, ARS, Richard B. Russell Agricultural Research Center, Athens, Georgia 30604, U.S.A.

David D. Mcalister

Cotton Qualiy Research Station, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Clemson, South Carolina 29633, U.S.A.

Jonn A. Foulk

Cotton Qualiy Research Station, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Clemson, South Carolina 29633, U.S.A.

Preliminary studies by atomization test the application of various kinds of enzymes as a means of tailoring dew-retted flax fibers in a low moisture atmosphere. A series of chemical and physical tests determines the effect of enzymes on fibers and blended yarns (50:50 flax : cotton). GLC analysis of post-treatment fiber washes shows that lipase and cellulase release the most sugars, likely due to structural disorganization of the fiber matrix. Glucose is the sugar most released by enzyme treatment. Mid-infrared spectros copy of fibers indicates the loss of carbohydrates and the presence of absorbed proteins following all enzyme treatments. All treatments reduce fiber strength and elongation compared to untreated fibers, with cellulase reducing fiber strength the most at 56% of the untreated control. Treatments reduce the occurrence of thick and thin places but reduce yarn strength as well. In general, lipase and arabinanase treatments influence yarn properties the most by increasing strength over the buffer-only treatment, increasing elongation over untreated and buffer-treated yams, and reducing neps and thick/thin places. These preliminary results suggest strategies to optimize enzyme treatments for improved textile properties.

Textile Research Journal, Vol. 73, No. 10, 901-906 (2003)
DOI: 10.1177/004051750307301009


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?