X-RAY STUDY OF CRYSTALLINITY AND DISORDER IN RAMIE FIBER

The degree of crystallinity and the disorder parameter in ramie fibers treated with various concentrations of aqueous NaOH solutions at room temperature (approximately 30-degrees-C) and at 0-degrees-C, respecti vely, have been analyzed by the wide-angle x-ray diffraction method of Ruland and Vonk.9-11 The results appear to suggest the presence of hi ghly distorted crystalline regions that are first affected by lower co ncentrations of alkali. At higher concentrations of mercerizing streng th it is observed that the lattice conversion to cellulose II is accom panied by a decrease in the degree of crystallinity and an increase in the disorder parameter values. The tensile properties of the fibers c orroborate the results. (C) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.