John Mercer
John Mercer was an English chemist and industrialist (1791–1866) best known for developing mercerization, a process that treats cotton fibers with sodium hydroxide to make them stronger, more lustrous, and more receptive to dyes.
The process, patented in 1850, revolutionized textile manufacturing and remains widely used today.
Mercer was largely self-taught and made significant contributions to calico printing and dyeing chemistry throughout his career.
- calicoPatchy-coated cat type
- dyePigment for changing hues
- cottonPlant fiber for textiles
- cotton fabricTextile from plant fibers
- textileMaterial from woven fibers
textile industry · mercerization · chemical treatment · caustic soda · fabric · chemistry · luster · England · silk · inventor · patent holder · process · sheen · fiber · bleach · printing · patent · colorfast