Mohair fibers

Early studies on the fine structure of specialty animal fibers involved differential staining using dyestuffs or heavy metals, and subsequent observations were made using light microscopy. By means of these techniques, vicuna fiber was shown to have a bilateral structure [318], and mohair fiber, predominantly ortho- with some paralike material [319] (see Sections 5.2.2 and 5.2.3). Bilateral structures are also observed when wool, cashmere, camel, and alpaca (but not mohair) are treated with sodium hydroxide and examined by means of polarized light [297]. 

Although fibers can be classified in numerous ways, in terms of present-day technology, they are fundamentally classified as(l) natural libers, and (2) synthetic libers. The principal natural fibers are cotton, wool. and. to a much lesser extent, silk. liax. and mohair. Synthetic tihers have made inroads into the use of all natural fibers, bul the greatest impact has occurred in connection with the latter three libers. Cotton continues to be a major textile fiber, measured in terms of billions of pounds used per year. Colton is one of the most versalile of all libers and blends well with synthetics. This is also true of wool, bul lo a somewhat lesser extent. Synthetic Fibers. Introduced in 1910 as a substitute for silk, rayon was the first artificial or synthetic fiber. Rayon, of course, differs completely in chemical constitution from silk. Rayon typifies most reconstituted or synthetic fibers, which perform almost as well and. in a number of respects, far better than their natural counterparts Some of the more recently developed synthetic libers have lilile if any resemblance to naturally available fibers and thus enlirely new types of end-producls with previously unobtainable end-qualities are available,... 

Highly effective scouring agent for wool, mohair, and other animal fibers. 

Wortmann F J, Quantitative fiber mixture analysis by scanning electron microscopy. Part III Round trial results on mohair/wool blends , Textile Research Journal, 1991,61, 371-374. 

The data for cuticle analysis are based on the work of Bradbury et al. [16] who analyzed cuticle and whole fiber from several keratin sources, including human hair, merino wool, mohair, and alpaca. These scientists concluded that there is very nearly the same difference between the amino acid composition of the cuticle and each of these fibers from which it was derived. They listed the average percentage differences used in these calculations. More recent analyses of cuticle and whole fiber of human hair [68, 69] are in general agreement with these data [18]. 

The publications mentioned above deal directly with wool however, there are several books, reviews, and symposia proceedings relating to human hair and speciality fibers, which also contain material relevant to wool structure. Of particular note are the proceedings of the two specialty animal fiber symposia, which were published in Aachen, Germany, in 1987 [19] and 1989 [20], and L. Hunter s Mohair A Review of Its Properties, Processing and Application in 1993 [21]. 

From the diverse range of mammalian fibers, sequences of high-sulfur proteins have been determined only for a limited number from wool and mohair. From the IIIB family M, 11,000), three sequences have been determined, while from the B2 (Mr 19,000) and the IIIA (Mr 16,000), six and eleven proteins, respectively, have been sequenced [25,148,215]. The amino acid sequence of only one ultrahigh sulfur protein has been determined [231]. 

Other animal fibers used in the textile industry include mohair, cashmere, alpaca, llama,... 

Leeder [16] has shown that the composition of the cell membrane complex (see Section 5.2.5), of which the lipid fraction is one component, has a dramatic influence on fiber and fabric properties. The composition of the internal lipid fractions of a number of specialty animal fibers has been the subject of detailed study [309,310]. Wool, cashmere, cashgora, and mohair contain free cholesterol and desmosterol in the ratio of 1.7-2.6 1 [309]. By comparison, llama, camel, and alpaca fibers contain virtually no free cholesterol or desmosterol. The results for yak vary widely [309,310]. Rabbit and dog hairs have distinctive sterol compositions, which are unlike each other and different from that of wool and goat fibers. 

Logan et al. [309] analyzed the free fatty acid composition of wool, mohair, cashgora, rabbit, yak, camel, alpaca, and dog hair and found that palmitic, stearic, and oleic adds accounted for 77-96% of the free fatty acids present. Korner [310] determined the total fatty acid composition for cashmere and yak fibers after saponification and found that the three fatty acids accounted for 50-60% of the fatty acids present. In addition, many fatty acids in the range C7-C26 were present in small amounts. These results confirm that some of the fatty acids are present as esters. When wool, cashmere, and cashgora, from which the surface grease has been removed, are digested with alkali, high yields (16-18%) of 18-methyleicosanoic acid are obtained [309,311]. This fatty acid is covalently bound to the surface of the fibers (see Section 5.2.2). 

Fibers from the bast or cellulosic family, namely hemp, jute, and linen, are occasionally used in fabrics in their own right but are more often used as feature blends in cotton and rayon apparel fabrics. These cellulosic fibers have the same basic fiber chemistry as cotton. Hence, the principles and practice for preparation, dyeing, and finishing processes are relatively similar. The specialty animal fibers such as alpaca and mohair are generally used in blends with wool as they have similar processing and... 

Albumin fibers wool, silk, mohair, camelhair, cashmere. 

Paint roller n. A cylindrical tube which is coated on the outside with Non-woven fibers such as nylon, mohair, and lamb s wool, and mounted on a roller with a handle used for application of paint or varnish. 

Velour v3- lur [F velours velvet, velour, fr. MF velours, velour, fr. OF velous, fr. L villo-sus shaggy, fr. villus shaggy hair] (ca. 1706) n. (1) Generally, a soft, closely woven fabric with a short, thick pile, weighting about 10-20 ounces per yard and made in a plain or satin weave. Velour is usually made of cotton or wool, or with a cotton warp in wool, silk, or mohair velour. It is also made in blends of spun manufactured fiber and wool. Velours are used for coats, draperies, upholstery, powder puffs, and other pile items. (2) A felt with velvet-like texture used for men s and women s hats. Complete textile glossary. Celanese Corporation, Three Park Avenue, New York. 

Astrakhan Cloth as-tro-kon, - kan ad A thick knit or woven fabric with loops or curls on the face. The base yarns are usually cotton or wool and the loops are made with fibers such as mohair, wool, and certain manufactured fibers. The face simulated the pelt of the astrakhan lamb (Vincenti R (ed) (1994) Elsevier s textile dictionary. Elsevier Science and Technology Books, New York). 

Animal fibers consist largely of proteins. Examples are silkworm silk, spider silk, sinew, catgut, wool, animal hairs such as cashmere, mohair, and rabbit hair, etc. 

The other major hair (keratin) fibers include mohair, cashmere, llama, alpaca, and vicuna, as well as many others. Regenerated Azlon fibers are derived from soluble proteins that can be spun into fibers, insolubilized, and regenerated. Soluble proteins also may be grafted to form a copolymer, dissolved, and then spun into fibers. 

Hunter, L.,Mohair, Cashmere and other Animal Hair Fibers, raHandbook of Natural Fibers, R. M. Kozlowski, Editor. 2012, Woodhead Pubhshing. p. 196-290. 

---