SWELLING CHARACTERISTICS OF JUTE FIBER WITH WATER AND DIFFERENT ORGANIC AND INORGANIC VAPORS AND LIQUIDS

Swelling characteristics of both raw and delignified jute fibres were determined by measuring the changes in diameter and length of the fibr es exposed to water and different organic vapours and immersed in thos e liquids. Longitudinal swelling has been found to be very much neglig ible compared to transverse swelling. In the case of raw jute fibre, m aximum transverse swelling (32.5%) was obtained with 30% sodium hydrox ide solution, followed by water (29.51%), formaldehyde (23.08%), methy l alcohol (9.86%), acetone (8.95%), acetic acid (8.7%) and ethyl alcoh ol (6.64%). In the case of delignified jute fibre, maximum transverse swelling (38.5%) was obtained with 25% sodium hydroxide solution, foll owed by water (36.67%), formaldehyde (30%), methyl alcohol (13.10%), a cetone (12.82%), acetic acid (10.31%) and ethyl alcohol (9.64%). It wa s also found that swelling was higher in liquid phase than in vapour p hase. The delignified fibre was found to break at 30% sodium hydroxide solution.