47—THE MICROBIAL DEGUMMING OF RAW RAMIE FIBRE

Abstract

Abstract It is shown that, of several mixed bacterial cultures isolated from different sources, four were very efficient in removing the gum of ramie fibre to a considerable extent without any adverse effect on the fibre cellulose. By using the best culture, SWI, a simple and inexpensive microbial process was developed for the degumming of ramie fibre. A combined microbial and chemical process that was also developed is simpler and more economical than the chemical process itself in that smaller amounts of chemicals are consumed and fewer processing difficulties encountered.