mercerised

Thân thiện

The tailor prefers mercerised cotton for his finest shirts.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Describes cotton thread or fabric that has undergone a chemical treatment with sodium hydroxide (caustic soda). This process causes the fibers to shrink, increases their strength and luster (shine), and improves their affinity for dye, resulting in more vibrant and colorfast fabrics.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • She preferred sewing with mercerised cotton because it had a beautiful sheen.
  • The mercerised fabric absorbed the dye much more evenly than the untreated sample.
  • Look for mercerised thread for embroidery; it's stronger and glossier.

Advanced Usage

• "Mercerised" vs. "Mercerized": The word is commonly spelled with both 's' (mercerised) and 'z' (mercerized), with 'mercerized' being the standard spelling in American English. Both forms are adjectives derived from the process name, mercerization.
  • The British standard typically calls for mercerised yarns.

Variants and Related Words

• Mercerize (verb): To treat cotton with a sodium hydroxide solution.
  • The mill will mercerize the cotton to enhance its quality.
• Mercerization (noun): The industrial process itself.
  • The mercerization process was invented by John Mercer in the 19th century.

Synonyms

• Treated (in a textile context): Referring to fabric that has undergone a specific chemical process.
• Glazed cotton: A related term, though glazing is often a different finishing process that can also produce a shine.

Notes on Meaning

• The term is highly specific to the textile industry. Its primary meaning relates to this particular chemical treatment for cellulose fibers like cotton. It does not have common idiomatic or phrasal verb uses outside this technical context.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. of cotton thread that has been treated with sodium hydroxide to shrink it and increase its luster and affinity for dye
   • mercerized cotton

Từ đồng nghĩa

• mercerized