Biotechnology cellulosic fibres

Most fibres made from regenerated cellulose such as viscose, lyocell, and Celsol are characterised by stiffness as well as a fuzzy and uneven surface that makes fabrics susceptible to pilling, even over a short period of use. In order to modify the surface properties of cellulosic fibres and fabrics and to improve their quality biotechnological approaches based on specialised enzymes are widely used. Finishing processes, employing cellulases and xylanases, can replace a number of mechanical and chemical operations, which have been applied until now to improve comfort and quality of fibres and textiles. The principle of enzyme action in the finishing process is controlled hydrolysis of cellulose, in which impurities and fuzz are removed from the surface of fibres, without decreasing their mechanical tenacity or the elasticity of the fabric. 

Ciechanska, D., Struszczyk, H. and GuziAska, K., Enzymatic Modification of Cellulosic Fibre Properties by Cellulases and Xylanases , Annual Meeting COST Action 847 Textile Quality and Biotechnology , Madera, Portugal, 2001. Heikinheimo, L., Trichoderma Reesei Cellulases in Processing of Cotton, Doctoral Thesis, Tampere University of Technology, 5 December 2002, VTT Publications 483, Tampere 2002, 77 pp -i- app. 

Triplett B.A. 1993. Using biotechnology to improve cotton fiber quality progress and perspectives. In Cellulosics Pulp, Fibre, and Environmental Aspects. Ellis Horwood, Chichester, UK, pp. 135-140. 

The benefits of biotransformed cellulose pulp (discussed in Section 4.3) in connection with its technological simplicity and economical effectiveness promote this biotechnological method as the most useful way of processing pulp into fibres. The modification of cellulose structure during biotransformation has definitely improved the main properties of cellulose pulp such as solubility in aqueous sodium hydroxide and chemical reactivity leading towards obtaining ... 

Obembe, 00 Jacobsen, E Visser, RGF Vincken, J. Cellulose-hemlcellulose networks as target for in planta modification of the properties of natural fibres. Biotechnology and Molecular Biology Review, 2006, 1(3), 76-86. 

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