Flax plant

Linamarin, acetonecyanhydrin, -D>gluco-pyranoside, CeH, 0j 0 C CH3)2 CN. M.p. I43-I45°C. Present in young flax plants and in Phaseolus lunatus and is also the glycoside of rubber seeds. Such glycosides may be regarded as primary materials for synthesis. 

Linseed Tung Flax plant (Linum usitatissimum) seeds Tung plant (Aleurites fordii) nuts Europe, Asia, America East Asia Binder in paints Varnish binder in paints... 

Flax plant Linum usitatissimum) Europe, Asia, seeds America... 

Linen Fiber (Flax, Byssus). The bast fiber of the flax plant, an annual herb about 2 ft high. 

Linseed Oil (Boiled Oil, Bung Oil or Bung Hole Oil). The oil obtained by hot pressing the seeds of the flax plant. Consists of glycerides of linolenic, linoleic, oleic, stearic, palmitic and myristic acids. Yellowish liq, peculiar odor, bland taste... 

Linseed Mucilage is extracted from the seeds of the flax-plant, Limim Usitatissimum, by the agency of hot water. Alcohol causes the formation in it of white mucilaginous flocks. It is also precipitatad by protochloride of tin, and by acetate and subacetate of lead. It possesses an acid reaction, and is not changed by chlorine Or iodine. On evaporation, a Substance similar in appearance to gum-arabic is obtained, which, when digested in water, intumesces, and partially dissolves. 

As used today, the word linen is descriptive of a class of woven textiles used in homes. Linens were manufactured almost exclusively of fibres from the flax plant Linum usitatisimum. Today flax is a prestigious, expensive fibre and only produced in small quantities. Flax fibres can be identified by their typical nodes, which account for the flexibility and texture of the fabric. The cross-section of the fibre is made up of irregular polygonal shapes, which contribute to the coarse texture of the fabric. When adequately prepared, linen has the ability to absorb and lose water rapidly. It can gain up to 20% moisture without feeling damp. 

Indeed, materials in a fibrous form have been used by mankind for a long time. Fiber yams have been used for making fabrics, ropes, and cords, and for many other uses since prehistoric times, long before scientists had any idea of the internal structure of these materials. Weaving of cloth has been an important part of most ancient societies. The term fabric is frequently employed as a metaphor for society. One talks of the social fabric or moral fiber of a society, etc. It is interesting to note that an archeological excavation of a 9000-year-old site in Thrkey led to the discovery of a piece of fabric, a piece of linen, woven from the fibers of a flax plant (New York Times, 1993). Normally, archeologists date an era by the pottery of that era. It would appear from this discovery that even before the pottery, there were textile fabrics. There is also recorded use of sutures as stitches... 

It is well known that various abiotic factors influence the cyanogenicity of plants. Contradictory findings are reported with regard to the influence of light on cyanogenic potential. On the one hand, light-grown flax plants were... 

Among the oils that contain carbon-carbon double bonds as the functional groups, linseed, tung, corn, cottonseed, rapeseed, and soybean are more widely used as polymeric sources. Linseed oil is extracted from the seeds of the flax plant Linum usitatissimum). The major constituents of linseed oil are a-linolenic acid (60%), linoleic acid (29%), and oleic acid (27%). This composition varies with changes in climatic conditions. On the other hand, tung oil, also called china wood oil, is derived from the seeds or nuts of the trees aleurites fordii and A. montana. The major constituent of tung oil is eleostearic acid (77-82%), whereas the other important components of tung oil are oleic acid (3.5-12.7%) and linoleic acid (8-10%). It is known that the carbon-carbon double bond in oleic acid is at C9, in linoleic acid it is at C6 and C9, and in linolenic acid it is at C3, C6, and C9, whereas eleostearic acid has double bonds at positions C5, C7, and C9. 

Cotton and Linen Cloth, etc.— The two most important sources of cellulose for the manufacture of thread and cloth and similar articles are the holl of the cotton plant and the stalk of the flax plant. The former is the source of all goods known as cotton while the materials made from the latter are termed linen. Another important fibre plant is hemp, the leaves or stalk of which yields fibres which are principally used in making twine, rope and canvas. Several varieties of hemp are used such as manila hemp, sisal, etc. The stalk of ihtjute plant is the source of materials out of which sacking or burlap and carpets are made.. In the manufacture of these products the fibre of the plant is mechanically separated and then spun into thread or twisted into yarn or rope. The thread or yarn are then woven into fabrics. The products possess properties characteristic of the particular fibre used. As in the manufacture of all of these important materials the cellulose undergoes no chemical change but is simply mechanically treated no further details of the processes will be given. 

Derivation From seeds of the flax plant Linum usi-tatissimum by expression or solvent extraction. Various refining and bleaching methods are used. 

Fiber, flax Natural fiber obtained from the inner bark of the flax plant. Use includes as filler and in producing of high strength reinforced or laminated plastics. 

The flax plant, as shown in Figure 8.4, grows to a height of about 0.5-1.25 m and has a stem diameter between 1.6 and 3.2 mm. Seeds in the plant are contained in small spherical balls, or pods, at the top of the stalks this is the linseed of commerce from which linseed oil is... 

FIGURE 8.4 The ancient flax plant. (From Mauersberger H.R., ed., Mathews Textile Fibers, 5th ed., John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1947 [108].)... 

FIGURE 8.5 The five zones in the cross section of the flax plant stems A, layer of cuticular cells B, intermediate layer of cortical parenchyma C, the bast layer containing the flax fibers D, cambium layer E, woody tissue. (From Mauersberger H.R., ed., Mathews Textile Fibers, 5th ed., John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1947 J. Adhes. Sci. Tech., 18(9), 1063-1076, 2004.)... 

Flax is one of the strongest of the vegetable fibers, even stronger when wet. Color of the fiber varies somewhat depending on the retting conditions. A flax plant produces 12-16% of line fiber by weight with a yield of 480-720 kg/ha [109]. 

The flax plant belongs to the family Flax, genus Linum. Of the 150 species of this genus, only one, Linum usitatissimum, produces commercially useful fiber. 

The fibres are only part of the total plant culture they represent 4-5% of hemp, or 35-40% of flax plant, and 33-40% of cotton seeds (Figure 9.6.11). The rest of the plant is also used for various other purposes, more particularly fodder and oil (see Chapter 9.1). The fibre output per hectare of cultivated land differs also from one plant to another cotton reaches 1000 kg fibres hahemp may yield 1800 kg fibres ha and flax up to 2000 kg fibres ha ... 

Flax is one of the oldest fibre crops in the world. It is extracted from the bast or skin of the stem of the flax plant. The fibre is soft, lustrous and flexible and, when bundled, has the appearance of blonde hair. It is stronger than cotton fibre but less elastic. The best grades are used for linen fabrics such as damasks, lace and sheeting. 

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