Abstract
A new crosslinking agent for cellulose, bis-γ-isocyanatopropyl disulfide (BIPD) was synthesized from γ, γ′-dithiodibutyric acid and its reaction with cotton cellulose in dimethylacetamide was investigated in comparison with the reaction of homologous bis-β-isocyanatoethyl disulfide (BIED). Diisocyanate-treated cotton was reduced with tri-n-butylphosphine and the crosslinking efficiency (crosslinks/total diisocyanate combined) was calculated from the nitrogen contents determined by the Kjeldahl method before and after reduction. BIPD reacted with cotton more slowly than BIED. The crosslinking efficiency of BIPD increased with reaction time and high efficiencies (>80%) were attained by prolonged treatment. No significant difference in the crosslinking efficiency was observed between BIPD and BIED.
