Changes Induced in the Properties of Wool by Specific Epicuticle Modification

The treatment of wool under anhydrous (non-swelling) conditions with potassium tert-butoxide dissolved in tert-butanol was studied. The aim was to confine reaction with the alkaline reagent to the outer surface of the fibre, thus preventing whole-fibre degradation. It appears that the a/koxide specifically reacts with, or cleans, the extreme exterior of the epicuticle membrane, removing lipid material but leaving the chemically inert epicuticle intact. The treatment increases inter-fibre and inter-yarn friction, tensile strength and wettability. The absence of whole-fibre degradation is shown by the unchanged dye uptake and abrasion resistance. The apparent specificity of the reaction has led us to propose that a distinctive, bound, fatty layer, tentatively called the ‘F-layer’, is involved in the mechanism. The polar surface generated by the treatment results in improvements in several properties, such as shrink resistance, printabi/ity and electrical conductivity, and an increase in the effectiveness of shrinkproofing polymers.