The relation between mercerization (NaOH treatment of cellulose fibers), crystallinity and reactivity of cellulose is discussed in these articles. Best wishes.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/312695203_On_fine_structure_of_cellulose_fibers?_sg=gMfP5CcIeMtf8Ui1o2D3FcfifSd-jir1GBvosgkmxo4A8We9XFQwCIfRFn1pzs1by7vyJTa0sbnrQ1xzC4F_-rJPLyqkQUE04RNdPfWO.p5kh-DbWyXujNy9tZupEqqlEFISvwAfpAQS7gxv5QQb6LoNuY77hWx1CJaLD2_Puf4MN-E19g5ZJ51ZcP27ceg

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/250425822_Fine_structure_and_reactivity_of_cellulose?_sg=5fWap_Bo_4zdD_fvqH_ik_rICR79B2MqsJkQJ-GpEk0-kWUql-OagXiQ1htoCGtqy5kKGHOkgcXg6Iwn4D16loYczMtz8vJCHsSulhkH.IexQikLYtmzkEXZKF7V0Hp1o92stM2-UVAXYD-fAlxbH24tcvwxDuP_sMPad0e1_V30QOrezdoD_Gdr1Cdoxsw

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/298681455_Reactivity_of_biological_cellulose_and_properties_of_some_of_its_derivatives?_sg=5fWap_Bo_4zdD_fvqH_ik_rICR79B2MqsJkQJ-GpEk0-kWUql-OagXiQ1htoCGtqy5kKGHOkgcXg6Iwn4D16loYczMtz8vJCHsSulhkH.IexQikLYtmzkEXZKF7V0Hp1o92stM2-UVAXYD-fAlxbH24tcvwxDuP_sMPad0e1_V30QOrezdoD_Gdr1Cdoxsw

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/294690836_On_the_properties_of_never-dried_and_nature-dried_cotton?_sg=5fWap_Bo_4zdD_fvqH_ik_rICR79B2MqsJkQJ-GpEk0-kWUql-OagXiQ1htoCGtqy5kKGHOkgcXg6Iwn4D16loYczMtz8vJCHsSulhkH.IexQikLYtmzkEXZKF7V0Hp1o92stM2-UVAXYD-fAlxbH24tcvwxDuP_sMPad0e1_V30QOrezdoD_Gdr1Cdoxsw

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/312702652_On_the_activation_of_cellulose_through_xanthation_II_Viscose_and_rayon_from_activated_cellulose?_sg=5fWap_Bo_4zdD_fvqH_ik_rICR79B2MqsJkQJ-GpEk0-kWUql-OagXiQ1htoCGtqy5kKGHOkgcXg6Iwn4D16loYczMtz8vJCHsSulhkH.IexQikLYtmzkEXZKF7V0Hp1o92stM2-UVAXYD-fAlxbH24tcvwxDuP_sMPad0e1_V30QOrezdoD_Gdr1Cdoxsw

Dear Gangadhar,

It is said that the fiber to solution (weight)ratio should be somewhere around 1:20. The important thing is all the fibers must be well submerged. I can't recall many references speaking about this (http://www.scielo.br/pdf/mr/v21n2/1516-1439-mr-1980-5373-MR-2017-0365.pdf)

hope this helps

regards

Anurag

https://www.sciencedirect.com/search?qs=natural%20fiber%20during%20alkaline%20treatment&show=25&sortBy=relevance

This article, by Indian scientists, answers your question (Table 1 in the Paper) about the amounts (in percentages) of alkaline solutions required for treatment of various natural fibers in the soaking step:

https://www.ijirset.com/upload/2015/tapsa/25_ME009.pdf

The article is good to read but some words are not separated from each other. The Journal ought to have been more careful.

Dear Gangadhar,

Go through the publication attached with this link. this will give you exact data.

Article Surface treatments of plant fibers and their effects on mech...

Please kindly go through this paper..

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0144861718314152

I used the following condition in my search:

1:20 (w/w) ratio (solid mass of pulp solution: NaOH 5%) at 70 ° C for 60 min under mechanical stirring at 200 rpm. [Cellulose (2018) 25: 1823-1849 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-018-1691-9]

Alkaline treatment conducted at 1:4 Bath Ratio (Solid: Liquid) in pulp and paper industry. If you have 200 gm of fiber and 10 gm NaOH (5% NaOH) and 800 ml Water then total slurry 1 Liter cooked at 165°C for 30-120 min with mechanical stirring.