Effect of purification treatments on cotton and rayon

This paper is concerned with the effect on cotton, and al~G on cUi-lrammonium and nitrocellulose rayons, of the Corey and Gray modi5:cation of t!:.;; American Chemical Society method for the preparation of "st&udard :;ciiulose" from cotton. When the fibers were subjected to successive cycles of treatments, each of which consisted in separate extractions with alcohol, ether, and a I-percent solution of sodium hydroxide, a progressive change in the fibers took place. This was evident from the loss in weight of the fibers and the increase in the fluidity of their cuprammonium solution. Low copper numbers were obtained for all the fibers after the first extraction with alkali. Repeated treatments had no pronounced effect on the alpha-cellulose content of the cotton. Alcohol and ether had no measurable effect other than the removal of soluble material during the first cycle.