AbstractAcid hydrolyses of untreated cotton (scoured) and cottons treated in slack with three swelling agents were carried out for different periods. It was found that treatment with swelling agents decreases crystallinity and fiber strength and increases reactivity of cellulose. Such treatments also improve the strength‐fluidity relation of the fibers. Swelling treatment with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) or ethylenediamine (EDA) improves strength uniformity along the fiber length. Both mild and drastic hydrolyses increase crystallinity of the untreated and the treated cottons. Crystallinity figures obtained by x‐ray diffraction technique are different from those obtained by iodine sorption method. Treatment of acid‐hydrolyzed cotton fibers with sodium hydroxide improves fiber strength considerably. When acid‐hydrolyzed cotton is swollen with zinc chloride solution, crystallinity (x‐ray) drops down to as l
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