ABSTRACT

An evaluation of the treatment of weather-damaged cottons with topical lubricants and softeners at the pilot plant scale has been made. The materials examined include an ester, butoxyethylstearate (BES); a commercial long chain hydrocarbon normally used for the control of cotton dust, OLEU 3200 N^R* from Rachem Corp.; and three commercial silicones available from Union Carbide Corp., Silwet L7605^R, Y-12212^R, and Magnasoft Exhaust^R. These agents were selected for evaluation because of their previously determined effectiveness in improving cotton fiber processing at both the laboratory scale and initial pilot plant trials. Lubricants were applied to about a 0.5% add-on to damaged cotton in a blending hopper using an atomizing nozzle assembly. In all cases, treated cotton fibers processed more efficiently through carding, drawing, and spinning than did the control. Results from pilot plant application and from 50g processing and spinning studies on the treated cottons, as well as results from fiber surface frictional studies, will be discussed.