Electrical conductivity of γ-irradiated native and mercerized cotton celluloses

In the present study the electrical conductivity (σ) of ball-milled and NaOH-treated cotton fibers were measured in vacuum. The induced electrical conductivity and the activation energy ΔE of γ-irradiated samples were measured as a function of radiation doses and at various temperatures. It was found that γ-irradiation of cotton fibers either decreases or increases its electrical conductivity. Thus, it was found that γ-irradiation of cotton reduces the conductivity of the samples having particle sizes ranging from 0.07 to 0.11 mm and the magnitude of the reduction diminishes as the particle size increases. The results have also shown that, for any given concentration, γ-irradiation of NaOH-treated samples causes an increase of the measured electrical conductivity.