Novel fibers prepared from cellulose in NaOH/thiourea/urea aqueous solution

The regenerated cellulose fibers were prepared by wet-spinning from NaOH/thiourea/urea aqueous solvent system for the first time. The effects of coagulation and stretch conditions on the structure, morphology, and mechanical properties of the prepared fibers were investigated by wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and tensile tester, respectively. When the cellulose spinning dope was coagulated in 10% H2SO4/12.5% Na2SO4 aqueous solution at 15 °C, the prepared fibers had a typical crystalline structure of cellulose II and circular cross-sectional shapes with smooth surface and slightly high tensile properties to viscose fibers.