Nonaqueous Bleaching of Cellulose by Perchloroethylene-Hydrogen Peroxide-Water

Cellulosic fibers were bleached in perchloroethylene using small quantities of a solubilized mixture of peroxide and water. The diffusion coefficient of solubilized peroxide into cellulose was about equal to that of solubilized water. In contrast to bleaching in aqueous solutions, the peroxide was an effective oxidant even at room temperature. Vis cosity data, tensile strength loss, and change in blue reflectance demonstrated the interdependence of the sorption characteristics and the bleaching efficiency.