cotton
A soft, fibrous, usually white organic substance
that clothes the seeds of various plants,
especially of the genus Gossypium. The cotton
fiber resembles a flat, twisted tube. having a
thin wall and a wide central canal. known as the
lumen. Because of this wide lumen, the cylindrical
fiber collapses upon drying to the form of a flat,
twisted tube, somewhat in the shape of a
corkscrew. The fiber length may be as much as 30
mm. and the width between approximately 0.01 and
0.03 mm., giving a ratio of length to width of
more than 1,000 to 1. Cotton consists of more than
90% cellulose, exclusive of COTTON LINTERS .
Since it is almost pure cellulose, cotton fibers
are readily affected by acids and moderately
strong oxidizing agents. Alkali compounds in
moderate amounts and at normal temperatures,
however, have little effect on them. Cotton is
used extensively in the manufacture of sewing
thread, spine lining cloth, book cloth (including
buckram), as well as higher grade papers and other
products used in archival work. (143 , 198 )
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