Cellulose Chemistry and Technology

Title
Effect of acid and enzymatic treatments of TCF dissolving pulp on the properties of wet spun cellulosic fibres
Authors
Marianna Vehvilainen Taina Kamppuri Pertti Nousiainen Anne Kallioinen Matti Siika-Aho Kristina Elg Christoffersson Monika Rom and Jaroslav Janicki

Received December 4, 2009
Published Volume 44 Issue 4-6 April-June
Keywords enzymatic treatment of cellulose, cellulosic fibres, wet spinning

Abstract
Dissolving-grade softwood pulp was treated with EG-rich enzymes and hot diluted sulphuric acid, to decrease the molecular weight of cellulose. The treated samples were dissolved in aqueous sodium zincate and spun into cellulosic fibres by a wet spinning method. The effects of cellulose concentration in the spinning solution and of cellulose molecular weight on the fibre properties were studied. The molecular weight (M ) of the treated cellulose decreased by 38 to 63%, depending on the treatment parameters. The w falling ball viscosity of the alkaline solution prepared from the differently treated pulps correlated linearly with the M of the treated cellulose. At constant M of cellulose, the tenacity of the obtained wet spun fibres w w correlated positively with the cellulose concentration of the spinning solution. However, a higher cellulose concentration could not compensate the lowered M as to the fibre properties. w