equal size square pieces of clothes of cotton and nylon are soaked in container having equal amount of water which cloth absorb more water and why?
Answers
Answer:
Cotton readily absorbs water. This is because the fibers of the cotton have a lot of space between them. This area allows the entry of water when cotton is put in it.
Structure of Cotton
Unlike simpler water molecules, cotton is made up of more complex series of atoms, which are linked into what are called "polymer molecules." These polymer molecules link up in repetitive patterns or chains, creating pure cellulose, a substance which makes cotton absorbent, according to Cotton Inc. One reason cellulose makes cotton absorbent is that it contains a negative charge, which helps attract "dipolar" water molecules and absorb them. Another reason is cotton's "hydrophilic properties."
Hydrophilic Properties
The cellulose in cotton has what is referred to in chemistry as "hydrophilic properties," according to Cotton Inc. The word "hydrophilic" actually means water loving or water attracting (hydro is the Greek word for water and philic or philia means loving). A hydrophilic molecule, such as those that occur naturally in cotton cellulose, is the exact opposite of a "hydrophobic" or water repelling molecule. Hydrophobic molecules often are found in man-made fabrics that are oil or petroleum based, according to Cotton Inc. This makes them less likely to absorb moisture.
Capillary Action
Another reason why cotton works to absorb liquid is "capillary action," where cotton fibers are able draw or suck in water like a straw through the interior of the fiber. Capillary action is present both in the fiber of the cotton plant and cotton fabric. Once drawn in through the fibers, the water is then stored in the interior cell walls, according to Textile
. The water in the cell walls of the cotton eventually dries out or evaporates.
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Cotton fibers have amorphous regions in its morpholigical structure that is makes cotton Hydrophilic or water absorbent. In order to understand more about cotton fibers read my entire answer.
In macro structure of cotton fibers, cotton fiber consists cuticles, primary cell wall, secondary cell wall, fabrils, lumen.
Cuticle is exist at outer region of fiber it consists waxy layer. So due to this waxy layer cotton fiber does not absorb or stored more water. This waxy layer in cuticle is become obstacles in this way so in order to remove this waxy layer from cuticle in cotton fiber, Scouring is help us. By scouring process the waxy layer has been remove from cuticle, thus cotton fibers become more water absorbent. Cotton fibers possess two cell wall and these both are play crucial role to make fiber absorbent, Primary cell wall and secondary cell wall is consist fabrils on its surface. Primary cell wall is thin layer about 200 nm thickness. And fabrils are 10 to 20 nm in diameter generally. Lumen is exist at middle of secondary cell wall or underneath of secondary cell wall. Lumen doesn't exist in mature fiber or if exist then its so tiny. How lumen is long in cotton fibers is denotes the fibers condition whether they are mature, half mature or dead.
If Lumen is not present or so tiny that means cotton is mature.
If Lumen size is moderate than normal that means cotton fibers is half mature.
If lumen is size or length is big that means cotton fibers is dead.
Cotton is pure cellulose, a naturally occurring polymer. Cellulose is a carbohydrate, and the molecule is a long chain of glucose (sugar) molecules. ... These negatively charged groups attract water molecules and make cellulose and cotton absorb water well. Cotton can absorb about 25 times its weight in water.