Wool wettability

The amount of the individual amino acids released during the enzymatic treatment of wool was monitored by the HPLC method. Moreover, an XPS analysis of enzymatic-modified wool fabric samples and contact angle measurements were performed. The data obtained by the XPS method allowed comparison of the changes in the elemental concentration on the wool surface after enzymatic treatment. The results of the contact angle measurements demonstrated an increase in the wettability of the modified wool surfaces. 

Moreover, an enzymatic treatment of wool causes an increase in the amount of hydrophilic groups at the surface. This is proved by the increase in the elemental concentration of oxygen, as obtained by XPS, and the increase in the wettability of enzyme-modified wool surfaces. 

Protein produced from solvent-extracted meal has been used as a thickening agent in soups, baby foods, high-protein foods, instimtional meals, and meat products. Groundnut proteins have also been used to manufacture a soft, wool-like, cream-colored fiber, adhesive products such as plywood glue and wettable glue, and for paper coating. 

An important component of cuticle is 18 - methyl - eicosanoic acid [40]. Fatty acid is bound to a protein matrix, forming a layer in the epicuticle [41,42], and this layer is referred to as F - layer [43]. The F - layer can be removed by treatment with alcoholic alkaline chlorine solution in order to enhance wettability. The cuticle and epicuticle control the rate of diffusion of dyes and other molecules onto the fibre [44]. The cortex, however, controls the bulk properties of wool and has a bilateral structure composed of two types of cells referred to as ortho and para [45,46]. The cortical cells of both are enclosed by membranes of at least three distinct layers within which the microfibrils fit. Cells of intermediate appearance and reactivity designated meso - cortical have also been reported [47]. Cortical cells on the ortho side are denti-cuticle and thin, those on the para side are polygonal and thick [47]. Fig. 1-7 illustrates the bilateral structure which is responsible for the crimp of the... 

Air, oxygen 1. Enhancement of wettability and adhesion properties for gluing fabrics Cotton, flax, wool, lavsan... 

Wettability enhancement Cotton, wool, lavsan fabric... 

NH3 (ammonia) 1. Wettability enhaneement 2. Suppressing of losses of plastifieator 3. Enhaneement of adhesion Aromatic polyamides, wool, polyether, rough cotton fabric Polyvinylchloride (PVC) Polyoxymethylene (acetal), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyearbonate (PC), polyaerylate, polyphenyleneoxide... 

Hydrogen 1. Wettability enhaneement 2. Suppressing of surface gloss 3. Surface flattening Cotton, wool, lavsan fabrie Polyvinylehloride (PVC) Polyvinylehloride (PVC)... 

Plasma technologies have been investigated for quite some time with the aim of improving wettability and thus the adhesion of coatings. However, a much broader range of applications is feasible with plasma (Buyle, 2009) these apphcations include the improvement of printability and dyeability (Rahman and Nur, 2014), and antishrink treatment of wool, the scouring of wool (Rahman and Nur, 2014), sterilization, and the desizing of cotton. 

Research on plasma treatment on wool fiber as a pretreatment was started in 1956 (Rakowski, 1997). Plasma-treated wool fiber displays improved antifelting property, dye-ability, and surface wettability. The plasma treatment can alter the surface morphology and chemical composition, but the effect depends greatly on the plasma gas used, system pressure, discharge power, and also treatment lime. Plasma treatment on wool fiber is a dry process in which fiber alteralion is concentrated on the fiber surface and less damage is caused to the bulk fiber. This is a major advantage of plasma treatment on wool fiber. 

Sinha E, Panigrahi S (2009) Effect of plasma treatment on structure. Wettability of jute fiber and flexural strength of its composite. J Compos Mater 43(17) 1791-1802 Kan CW et al (1998) Surface properties of low-temperature plasma treated wool fabrics. J Mater Process Technol 83(1-3) 180-184... 

Tung, W. S. Daoud, W. A., Effect of Wettability and Silicone Surface Modification on the Self-Cleaning Functionalization of Wool. J.Appl. Polym. Sci. 2009, 112, 235-243. 

In a pilot study, it was discovered that an ultraviolet zone (UVO) based method, which has been developed for surface treating wool fibers, could be used to oxidatively modify polymer surfaces. Electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) and contact angle results indicated that the treatment was effective on PE and a polyetheretherketone (PEEK). It produced changes in surface oxygen chemistry and free energy, which increased polarity and improved wettability of the surface. Composite lap shear tests showed that the treatment gave a marked improvement in adhesion and that an optimum joint strength is achieved at low treatment times (<1 min). 

As discussed above, increases in wettability have been one of the primary and well-recognized surface effects obtained on textiles with plasma systems which utilize oxygen, air, and ammonia plasmas. Other recognized benefits are enhancements in surface desizing and capillarity of natural textile fibers such as wool and cotton. Particular to the hydrophobic properties of wool fiber surfaces, we have summarized that these can be transitioned to hydrophilic to obtain a reduced felting effect. However, if there is interest in moving toward an inverse effect, hydrophobic properties, as observed on cotton fabrics, can be also induced with prescriptions of type and proportions of gas chemistries used in the plasma reaction [33]. 

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