Wool scale

Attempts have been made to replace the Blue or Wool Scale by physical devices that measure the radiation of the light source. To determine the radiation of a given light source, the irradiance (in W/m2) is multiplied by the exposure time (in s). The equipment necessary to carry out such measurements is commercially available. Measurement in the UV region would be desirable. It has recently become possible to purchase an instrument which can measure spectrum-related irradiance in the important UV range. 

In many applications ultramarine blue is stable to around 400 °C, violet to 280 °C and pink to 220 °C. All have excellent light fastness with a 7-8 rating (full and reduced shades) on the International Blue Wool Scale. Color fade attributed to light exposure or moderate heat is almost always caused by acid attack. Ultramarines react with all acids, and if there is sufficient acid, the pigment is completely decomposed, losing all color, to form silica, sodium and aluminum salts, sulfur, and hydrogen sulfide. Evolution of hydrogen sulfide with acids is a useful test for ultramarine. 

Light exposure may cause either fading or darkening of both materials and colours. (Note that temperature/humidity also influences change.) Ink fade is normally checked by Xenontest type equipment (main supplier Heraeus) and is measured against the British wool scale. 

Another lightfastness category is the Blue Wool Scale, which includes eight levels from 1 (poor) to 8 (extremely lightfast). 

Lightfastness Post treatment Base pigment Type of preparation Based on the blue wool scale (11) As disclosed by the manufacturer... 

Wikipedia, Blue wool scale — wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 2012. 

Various methods of home-dyeing cotton and wool materials using natural dyes made from hulls of butternut, hickory nut, pecan, eastern black walnut, and Knglish walnut have been described (149). As far back as during the Civil War, butternut hulls have been used to furnish the yellow dye for uniforms of the Confederate troops. More recent attempts have been made to manufacture yellow and brown dyes from filbert shells on a commercial scale. The hulls are treated with copper sulfate and concentrated nitric acid to produce a yellow color, with ferrous sulfate to produce oHve-green, or with ammonia to produce mby-red (150) (see Dyes AND DYE INTERMEDIATES Dyes, natural). 

Wool [32] has considered the fractal nature of polymer-metal and of polymer-polymer surfaces. He argues that diffusion processes often lead to fractal interfaces. Although the concentration profile varies smoothly with the dimension of depth, the interface, considered in two or three dimensions is extremely rough [72]. Theoretical predictions, supported by practical measurements, suggest that the two-dimensional profile through such a surface is a self-similar fractal, that is one which appears similar at all scales of magnification. Interfaces of this kind can occur in polymer-polymer and in polymer-metal systems. 

It has been claimed that complexes of P-cyclodextrin with anionic surfactants, notably higher fatty alcohol ethoxylates, improve scouring efficiency on cotton and wool in laboratory-scale processing [34]. Residual surfactants carried over from preparation can have undesirable effects in subsequent processing. When cyclodextrins complex with surfactants, their surface activity is reduced. Hence cyclodextrins are potentially useful for the removal of residual amounts of surfactants from substrates [35]. The use of a- and P-cyclodextrins has been studied in this context with one cationic, one anionic and four... 

Enzymes can be used to modify the surface of wool fibres in order to improve lustre, softness, smoothness or warmth of the fabric. Since such processes involve attack on the cuticular scales of the fibre, there is clearly a resemblance to shrink-resist treatments and similar methods are used [116] ... 

Mention has already been made of the effectiveness of corona or plasma treatment in increasing the influence of subsequent or concurrent polymer treatment. As examples of polymers used in this way, mention can be made of reactive cationic polysiloxane [294] and polymerisation on the fibre of tetrafluoroethylene or hexafluoropropylene [299]. Water repellency was also improved by the fluorinated polymers. Tetrafluoroethylene gave superior shrink resistance this polymer covered the scale edges of the wool, whereas this did not occur with poly(hexafluoropropylene). 

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