Cotton fibers

Ingredients

Cotton fibers, Alum, Aluminum Sulfate, gelatin

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

The paper was identified as being made from long cotton fibers, with lengths ranging between 10-65 nm (p. 200). Sizing was performed using a combination of gelatin and alum (Aluminum Sulfate). Chemical testing for lignin (using aniline sulphate) and rosin (using sugar and sulfite acid) returned negative results, indicating the paper was free of these components (p. 198, 204). The gelatin sizing served as an alternative to the starch paste usually employed in earlier Arab papers (p. 204).

Evidence

"The results revealed that Cotton fibers may have been used as a raw material in the creation of paper. Alum, gelatin have been used as a sizing in paper manuscript. (p. 196)"

Remarks

The paper exhibits a crystallinity index of 76.8% as determined by XRD (p. 203). High crystallinity values are linked to the role of relative humidity in natural ageing processes (p. 203). SEM analysis confirmed the absence of wood-derived lignin, supporting the identification of pure cotton cellulose (p. 204). The pH of the paper was measured at 5.5, indicating acidity likely caused by the hydrolysis of alum into sulfuric acid (p. 199, 204).