Abstract
In comparison to acetylation of cotton, ramie yarn was acetylated with acetic anhydride using sulfoacetic acid catalyst and benzene diluent.
Ramie requires a somewhat longer time of pretreatment (immersion in acetic acid). When appropriately pretreated, the rate of acetylation and chloroform solubility of the acetylated yarn are similar to that of cotton, but the shrinkage by the acetylation is in this case much smaller. Acetylated ramie may be dyed evenly. No serious loss of the standard and knot strength was to be observed by the acetylation. Elastic recovery of highly acetylated ramie is excellent.
