Abstract
Cross sections of fiber were treated with enzyme and the morphological changes were observed. The objective was obtaining information with respect to the degradation of fiber by enzyme. Viscose rayon, cuprammonium rayon, polynosic rayon, cotton and cellulose acetate were selected as the fiber samples and cellulase from Trichodelma viride was used as the enzyme. The fibers were embedded into epoxy resin and their cross sections were exposed by cutting with a microtome. Morphologies of the cross section of fiber were observed by scanning electron microscopy. As for cellulose acetate, morphological change was hardly obeserbed through the treatment with enzyme for 48 h, in comparison with untreated sample. The attack by enzyme caused crack in cotton fiber, but the same morphological change was not recognized in any fibers. Regarding the regenerated cellulosic fibers which were not chemically modified, such as viscose rayon, cuprammonium rayon and polynosic rayon, the changes were different from the other fibers, due to their higher-order structures.
