Bending and shear properties of cotton fabrics subjected to cellulase treatment

Changes in the residual curvature and residual shear strain of eight cotton fabrics after cellulase treatment are compared with those of a polyester staple fabric after alkali treatment. The residual curvature of the cottons decreases less than that of the polyester, and the residual shear strain in the weft measurements of the cottons also decreases less than the polyester. These behaviors can be explained by the fact that cotton fibers are hydrolyzed not only on the fiber surface, but also within the fiber by cellulase treatment. The relation of the change in residual curvature in weft measurements to treatment time and mass/area suggests that the inelastic property decreases less efficiently in the cottons than in the polyester. These observations are consistent with the fact that the inner structure of the cotton fibers is degraded during cellulase treatment.