Ambient temperature bleaching of jute fibre using hydrogen peroxide

102-107<span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%; font-family:" calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:="" "times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;mso-hansi-theme-font:="" minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;="" mso-ansi-language:en-us;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:ar-sa"="">The possibility of bleaching jute fibre at ambient temperature has been explored using sodium persulphate as peroxygen booster. Different combinations of the concentrations of hydrogen peroxide, sodium hydroxide, sodium silicate and sodium persulphate were used by utilizing the technique of central composite rotatable plan (CCRP). Analysis of regression coefficients and contour diagrams revealed that the whiteness increases with the increase in concentration of hydrogen peroxide up to a certain limit and then decreases. Individual effect of sodium silicate and sodium persulphate on whiteness is marginal but their interaction with sodium hydroxide has considerable positive effect The process needs minimum concentration of sodium hydroxide as its individual effect on whiteness is negative. The overall effect of the variables on bundle strength is not much significant A recipe using 90 gpl of hydrogen peroxide, 25 gpl of sodium hydroxide, 20 gpl of sodium silicate and 7.5 gpl of sodium persulphate is suggested to obtain an acceptable level of whiteness without affecting the bundle strength of the fibre.