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The hydrophobic nature of wool induced by its surface lipid barrier hinders its wettability during processing. Scouring of wool is conducted to remove this lipid barrier and facilitate any wet processes. Scouring of wool is conducted using soda ash followed by rinsing with huge amount of water to ensure complete removal of alkali. This work aimed at utilization of thermophilic lipase enzyme for removal of wool surface lipid barrier without deterioration on the fibre interior. A thermally stable lipase enzyme was produced from thermophilic microorganism; namely Bacillus aryabhattai B8W22, and was utilized in bio-scouring of wool. The produced enzyme was immobilized on sericin-based discs to enhance its stability and to make it reusable. The activity of both free and immobilized lipase enzymes at different conditions was assessed. The effects of bio-scouring of wool on its dyeability with acid, basic, and reactive dyes, as well as on some of its inherent properties, were monitored. Results showed that the bio-scoured wool exhibits enhanced dyeability with the said classes of dyes more than that of conventionally scoured samples. One-bath scouring and dyeing of wool fibres in two successive steps was conducted to reduce consumption of water and energy during wet processing of wool.

The utilization of natural colorants in textile dyeing and printing has come to the forefront of production of textile goods. Extractions of natural dyes from waste materials and their utilization ...

Two forms of pollutants are usually discharged from scouring of wool fleece; namely the effluent liquid phase and the solid phase. These phases comprise a significant quantity of wool wax which would be a suitable candidate for valuable products and applications. This work is devoted to extraction, recovery, and characterization of lanolin from wool fleece from different sheep breeds to assign possible ways for its utilization in the textile field. The results show that the amount of wool wax extracted from coarse wool fleece as well as its chemical composition and physical properties are almost similar to those extracted from other finer wool fleece. The aim of this work is further devoted to separation and characterization of fatty acids (FAs) from the extracted wool wax. The separated wool FAs were esterified with poly ethylene glycol (PEG) to obtain a condensate which was utilized as a nonionic softener for wool. The alteration in morphology of the coated wool fabric was assessed using scanning electron microscopy. The results revealed that the WFA/PEG-coated fabrics exhibit reduced surface roughness and improved resistance to felting shrinkage during mechanical agitation.

The hydrophobic nature of wool caused by the surface lipid barrier impedes any wet processes of wool fibers. The conventional methods that utilize alkaline solutions for removing this lipid layer a...

Wool has the tendency to turn into felt during agitation in washing machines. Thus, a benign non-polluting method for the production of machine-washable wool was developed herein. Initially, a proteolytic bacteria was isolated from hot region soil. The bacterial isolate was identified as Bacillus safensis FO-36bMZ836779 according to the 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Afterwards, the extracellular protease produced by this isolate was covalently immobilized in order to enhance its stability under non-ambient conditions which are usually adopted in industrial sectors like textile industries. Sericin, which is usually discharged into degumming effluent of natural silk, was utilized to prepare the immobilization carrier. Box–Behnken design was adopted in order to hone the preparation of the sericin–polyethylene–imine–glutaraldehyde activated agar carrier. The pH and temperature profiles of the free and immobilized proteases were compared. Later, wool fibres were bio-treated with both the free and the immobilized enzymes. The effect of process conditions on the resistance of the bio-finished wool to felting was investigated. The alteration in the fibre morphology was monitored using SEM. Amino acid analysis and alkali solubility tests were adopted to assign any change in the chemical structure of the bio-treated wool. The influence of bio-treatment of wool on its inherent properties was assigned. Results revealed that bio-treatment of wool with the said enzyme led to production of machine-washable wool without severe deterioration in the fibres’ properties. In an energy- and water-consuming process, the hot solution from bio-treatment bath was used successfully in dyeing of wool.

Energy is the most expensive component in wet processing of textiles and many researchers direct their efforts toward energy-saving processes. In this investigation, we report a low-temperature dye...

Felting shrinkage of wool is a major problem which has negative impacts on its performance attributes. Traditional chemical methods used for shrink-resist finishing are suffering from some drawback...

Endovascular treatment has become an accepted method in the treatment of aortoiliac occlusive disease. Bare metal stents have been used in the treatment of aortoiliac disease since the early 1990s. More recently, the use of covered stent grafts in the aortoiliac segment has shown clinical benefit in terms of patency, freedom from reintervention and quality of life. The VBX FLEX study evaluated the safety and efficacy of the Gore VBX stent graft for use in the aortoiliac segment. The early and mid-term data on the Gore VBX stent graft have shown it to be a safe device for use in the treatment of aortoiliac occlusive disease. This review examines the use of stents in aortoiliac occlusive disease with specific focus on the VBX FLEX Study.

Textile wet processing is one of the most water-consuming industries. The deficiency of soft water in some parts of the world urged the researchers to exert effort toward minimization of water cons...

Development of conductive fabrics causes usually deterioration of the some of the comfort attributes of the final textile product. In this work, we propose a simple non-deteriorative method for preparation of electrical conductive fabrics based on wool and polyester as well as the blended fabric thereof. The unmodified fabrics or saponified polyester or oxidized wool were treated in aqueous solution containing heavy metal ion salts, namely, silver nitrate, copper II sulfate using exhaustion technique at 70°C for 1 h followed by reduction step. Nano zinc oxide was also used directly for treatment on the said fabrics. The electrical conductivity of the metal ions-treated fabrics and the influence of sewing on their conductivity was measured. The effect of pretreatment of the fabrics, saponification of polyester or oxidation of wool on their ability to absorb metal ions was monitored. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were used to prove the incorporation of metal particles onto the treated fabrics. The change in chemical composition of the treated fabrics was studied using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Atomic absorption was adopted to measure the amount of metal incorporated onto the treated fabrics. The formation of nanometal crystals was proved using X-ray diffraction pattern. Different parameters of comfort, namely, air/water permeability of the treated as well as untreated fabrics were assessed. The treated fabrics exhibit enhanced electrical conductivity as well as some improved comfort properties without any effect on their inherent mechanical properties.

Ever since the Stone Age, humans have preferred natural products and materials for better health and comfortability. Wool and natural silk have been used in the textile clothing thousands of years ago. The performance and appearance attributes of wool and silk make them superior for many applications. On the other hand, the textile industries are technically, economically, socially, and environmentally related to some of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the United Nations Agenda 2030. For instance, the item number 12 in the SDGs aims to ensure sustainable consumption and production pattern. This necessitates proper utilization of all natural products as well as recycling and utilization of any waste thereof. This article review deals with retrieval of wastes or by-products during wet processing of proteinic fibres; namely wool and silk. Different ways of proper utilization of the retrieved materials will be proposed. Specifically, we will focus mainly on three main by-products; namely keratinous materials, wool wax, and sericin. State of the art and future prospects for the utilization of these materials in the production of textile auxiliaries; Viz. softeners, binders, and flame-retardants, were discussed.

Protein-based nanomaterials are gaining growing interest in biomedical field. The present paper evaluates the physico-chemical properties of electrospun nanofibers resulting from the combination of gelatin with keratin (from wool) and sericin (from silk) to validate their use for in vitro interaction studies. We demonstrated that that presence of sericin influences the fiber morphology at macroscopic level - i.e., wide diameter distributions by SEM and image analysis - with effects on chemical - i.e., a decrease of hydrogen bonds of Nsingle bondH groups verified by infrared spectroscopy - and thermal behavior of electrospun nanofibers, in comparison with gelatin-based ones. Moreover, we verified that sericin, in combination with keratin macromolecules, can amplify the biochemical signal of gelatin, improving the in-vitro stability of gelatin-based nanofibers. In vitro results confirm a synergistic effect of sericin and keratin on human Mesenchymal Stem Cells (hMSC) proliferation - increase over 50% respect to other types - associated to the enhancement of in vitro stability directly ascribable to the peculiar physical interaction among the proteins. These findings suggest the use of sericin/keratin/gelatin enriched electrospun fibers as nanostructured platforms for interface tissue engineering.

Deterioration of polyamide 6 fabrics upon exposure to ultraviolet radiation for a long time is an acute dilemma. Imparting ultraviolet protection to polyamide fabrics is of prime importance from the performance and economic point of views. In this investigation, polyamide 6 fabrics were modified with an environmentally friendly product (sericin) in presence or absence of crosslinking agents; namely citric acid or epichlorohydrin using pad-dry-cure technique. Topographical investigation of the used sericin powder was conducted using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The morphological structure of treated as well as untreated fabrics was investigated using high resolution field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). The alteration in some physico-mechanical characteristics of the treated polyamide 6 fabrics; Viz. bending stiffness, burst test, degree of yellowness, and moisture regain were assessed. The treated polyamide fabrics were dyed with acid and reactive dyestuffs. The colour strength and washing fastness for dyed fabrics with both acid and reactive dyes were assessed. The photo-protection against UV light of the said fabrics were evaluated. The treated fabric exhibited excellent UV protection without significant discrepancy in their inherent physico-mechanical properties.

We report on a simple technique for the production of mechanically durable water-repellent layer on viscose fibers via spray-coating of a lanolin-silicon rubber solution in petroleum ether. Depending on the silicon rubber solution concentration, it was achievable to gain surfaces with hierarchical morphology. Extracted lanolin was admixed with a mixture of a room temperature vulcanizing silicon rubber and petroleum ether to afford the silicon rubber-lanolin formulation, which was applied successfully onto viscose fabrics employing spray-coat procedure. The surface characteristics of the spray-coated viscose fibers were studied by scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and static water contact and sliding angle measurements. The alteration in the chemical composition of viscose-treated fabric was studied using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The wetting behavior was found to be a function of silicon rubber concentration in ether solution affording coatings with high static water contact angle and low sliding angle values. The treated viscose fabric exhibited excellent ultraviolet protection and enhanced hydrophobicity without adverse effect on its inherent physico-mechanical properties. The comfort characteristics of spray-coated viscose fibers were also evaluated by studying their air-permeability and stiffness. The results displayed durable water-repellent properties of the treated viscose, introducing a good opportunity for a large-scale manufacture of water-repellent textiles for a diversity of industrial purposes.

This work was adopted to study the effect of sericin-containing bath on the different structures of knitted polyester fabrics to improve some of their comfort attributes. Without appreciable deterioration in its inherent properties, the different structures of treated polyester fabric exhibited induced hydrophilicity, enhanced electrical conductivity, improved resistance to ultraviolet radiation and better water vapour permeability. Five knitted polyester fabrics of different structures were saponified by sodium hydroxide to create carboxylate ions along their macromolecules, and then treated by sericin within freshly discharged bath from degumming of raw natural silk. Treatment of polyester fabrics with sericin was carried out in presence and absence of glutardialdehyde as a crosslinking agent between polyester and sericin macromolecules. Different thermo-physiological parameters of comfort; namely thermal conductivity/resistivity, air/water permeability, release of electrostatic charges, ultraviolet protection factor, and water vapour transmission of the sericin-treated as well as untreated knitted fabrics were assessed. The mechanism of interaction between knitted polyester fabric and sericin in presence of glutardialdehyde was proposed. Scanning electron microscopy was used to ascribe any alteration in the fibre morphology. The change in the fabric crystallinity was investigated using X-ray diffraction pattern. The burst strength, bending stiffness and yellowing index of the treated fabrics were in the acceptable range.

The utilization of raw wool wax (grease) extracted from scouring effluent of fleece of sheep has been recognized two millennia ago. About seven centuries B.C., wool grease wax was extracted by Greek labors. Nowadays, tremendous amounts of wool wax are discharged each year into the scouring effluent of wool fleece. Restore of wool grease from textile effluent is of prime importance targeting environment protection. This article outlines the current and the possible ways of extraction of wool wax from coarse wool fleece; taking into consideration the economic and ecologic aspects. The methods of purification of the extracted wool grease into lanolin are also briefed. Recent techniques; namely microwave and ultrasonic-assisted extraction and purification of wool wax, were compared to the conventional heating method used for extraction of wool wax. Chemical and physical characteristics of the extracted lanolin, which play important role in its utilization, are outlined. The current and future utilization of wool wax in textile and non-textile application are reported.

Two renewable proteinic biopolymers; namely keratin and sericin, were blended, each separately, with poly acrylonitrile (PAN) as a supporter for film formation. The said protein/PAN composite was reacted with potassium thiocyanate in a way which directs the reaction away from thiohydnation mechanism. The resulted proteinium thiocyanate salt was utilized in detection of iron III ion in water through formation of the colored iron III thiocyanate complex which can be detected colorimetrically. The obtained colour depends on the concentration of iron III ion in the tested water sample. Results of this investigation proved that the said protein/PAN composite is an appropriate candidate for detection of iron III ion in water. The mode of interaction between the starting materials after being processed with PAN was monitored by using amino acid analysis, infrared spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, gel electrophoresis, and protein content. Scanning electron microscopy was used to study the surface characteristics of keratin/PAN/KSCN and sericin/PAN/KSCN films as well as their cross sections.

Wool is sensitive toward the effect of alkaline solutions which are usually used in the dissolution of wool fibers to regenerate keratin. In this investigation, the effect of different alkalis on the chemical composition and the secondary structure of wool was studied. Wool was treated with equivalent amounts of alkali metal hydroxides (lithium, sodium, and potassium hydroxides) as well as alkaline earth metal hydroxides (strontium and barium hydroxides). The effect of these alkalis on wool was monitored using amino acid analysis, elemental analysis, carboxylic content, acid, and base combining capacity, urea-bisulfite and alkali solubility, and FTIR spectroscopy. Further structure elucidation was conducted by thermo-gravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and X-ray diffraction pattern. Scanning electron microscopy was used to assign the alteration of the fiber morphology of the alkali-treated wool. The results of this investigation indicate that the effect of the used alkalis on wool is not similar. Cystine, glycine, and the basic amino acids are the most affected species in the treated wool. Some elimination reactions were involved during alkaline treatment of wool; namely decarboxylation, desulphydration, and deamination. The secondary structure of wool treated with Sr(OH)2 and Ba(OH)2 was changed from the ?- helical structure into the ?-sheet form.

This work was adopted to enhance the electrical conductivity of knitted polyester fabrics byincorporation of zinc oxide nanoparticle (NPs) into the fibre vicinity. Five structures ofPIQUE knitted polyester fabric of variable loop length were treated with ZnO NPs usingexhaustion technique. The treated fabrics were sewn using two types of stitches: namely threethread overedge (504) and five thread full overedge (516). The comfort attributes of the treatedfabrics; Viz. electrical conductivity, air permeability, and water permeability were assessed.Physico-mechanical properties of the different treated and untreated fabrics were also evaluated.Atomic absorption spectrometry was used to trace the amounts of zinc ions incorporated onto thedifferent treated structures. The alteration in the functional groups of the modified samples wasmonitored by FTIR spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersiveX-ray spectroscopy/elemental mapping were adopted to confirm the inclusion and distribution ofZnO NPs onto the modified polyester fabric. The treated polyester knitted fabrics showedenhanced electrical conductivity with improved comfort properties without adverse effect on theirperformance and appearance attributes.

Suspended keratin-based binder (Su-KBB) was prepared from renewable cheap natural resources; namely, coarse Egyptian wool fleece or feather to replace the commercially used synthetic binders required for pigment printing technique. Most of the commercially used binders are relatively expensive, environmentally unfriendly and imported from abroad. The said Su-KBB was prepared using safe chemicals, reagents and solvents for extraction of keratin from its natural resources. Chemical, physical, and thermal characteristics of the said binder were assessed and compared with the starting material. The prepared Su-KBB was utilized as a cheap eco-friendly binder in printing of polyester, poly acrylonitril, viscose as well as polyester/viscose, and polyester/acrylic blends. Different concentrations of Su-KBB were prepared, and different amounts were added in the pigment paste in presence or absence of a cross-linker. The color strength of the printed fabrics and their fastness properties to light, washing, and perspiration n were evaluated. The effect of the used binder on bending stiffness of the printed fabrics was assessed. Results of this study showed that printed fabrics using Su-KBB exhibit almost similar color strength values as the commercial binder (CB). The rubbing fastness of Su-KBB on using cross-linker was acceptable and comparable with that of the CB.

This review is devoted to discuss the unique characteristics of multi-jet electrospinning technique, compared to other spinning techniques, and its utilization in spinning of natural as well as synthetic polymers. The advantages and inadequacies of the current commercial chemical spinning methods; namely wet spinning, melt spinning, dry spinning, and electrospinning are discussed. The unconventional applications of electrospinning in textile and non-textile sectors are reported. Special emphasis is devoted to the theory and technology of the multijet electrospinning as well as its applications. The current status of multi-jet electrospining and future prospects are outlined. Using multi-jet electrospinning technique, various polymers have been electrospun into uniform blend nanofibrous mats with good dispersibility. In addition to the principle of multi-jet electro electrospinning, the different devices used for this technique are also highlighted.

There are several factors affecting physical and mechanical properties of the woven polyester fabrics, from these factors different weave constructions. The goal of this research is to study the effect of using different polyester fabric constructions on dyeing process via microwave irradiation. The resulted change in dye absorption, dyeing time and dyeing temperature were investigated. The fabric characteristics; namely tensile strength, elongation, and color fastness properties were also studied. The percentage dye exhaustion, dye fixation ratio and total dye fixation were evaluated. Dyeing rate constant, half dyeing time, activation energy and dye affinity of the different polyester fabric structures were calculated. The results this investigation proved that use of microwave irradiation brings about improvement in the quality of dyed fabric uniformity and color fastness properties. The woven polyester fabrics dyed with disperse dye and subjected to microwave irradiation for 50 min. at 100°C at different dye concentration increased dye concentration, and consequently enhanced the color strength for all the dyed samples. Fabric cover factor has significant effect on fabric strength as compared with other dependent variables.

Within the last three decades, environmental pollution has increased the interest of the researchers to find new health and hygiene-related products for mankind. In the textile industry, utilization of low-environmental impact technologies that based on sustainable biopolymers, presents a novel possible way for development of bioactive textiles on a large scale. The purpose of this review is to introduce a general overview on the role of proteinic biopolymers in development of textile industries. Unconventional nom-textile applications of these biopolymers are also outlined. The methods of extraction of proteinic biopolymers from their renewable natural resources were discussed to assign the proper method of extraction.

The importance of using renewable feed stocks in the textile industry area are expected to increase in the next few decades due to the limited natural resources coupled with an increased environmental legislation for eco-friendly and sustainable technologies. This research work focuses on the possible future applications of microwave irradiation in this field. Alkyd resins with highly distinct characters and reactive properties, based entirely on commercially available renewable resources, including sunflower or soybean oil, are prepared and characterized. The rheological properties, apparent viscosity of prepared binders, and roughness of the prints were described. The study was extended to application of the prepared alkyd resins as a binder in pigment printing operations onto cotton fabric by using a flat screen technique. The optimum curing conditions as well as the color strength and fastness properties of pigment printed areas to light, washing, perspiration and crocking, were evaluated.

Setting of wool fabrics during dyeing is an acute industrial dilemma facing most of wool dyers. Therefore, wool fabrics were dyed with acid, basic, as well as mono- and bi-functional reactive dyes in the presence of selected aliphatic and aromatic anti-setting agents; namely 3,3-dithiodipropionic acid (DTDPA), dithiodiglycolic acid (DTDGA), 5,5-dithio-bis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTBNBA), dithiodibutyric acid (DTDBA), 2,2-dithiodisalicylic acid (DTDSA), and 6,6-dithiodinicotinic acid (DTDNA). The effect of incorporating the said thiol/disulfide-exchangers into the dyeing bath of wool on its dimensional stability was assessed. The influence of the proposed anti-setting agents on the dyeability of wool with the said reactive dyes was monitored. The alteration in the chemical composition of the dyed fabrics was monitored by determining their sulfur and nitrogen contents, cysteine content, and the solubility degree in alkaline solution. The used reagents were found to be effective in stabilization of wool during dyeing with reactive dyes to different extents depending on the nature of the used anti-setting agent. Limited change in the chemical composition of the dyed samples was monitored without affecting their dyeability with the said dyes. The mechanism of interaction of these reagents with wool fabrics during dyeing was proposed.

Acrylic and keratin industrial wastes were dissolved, each separately, in their respective proper solvents. The soluble keratin was regenerated into powder and then mixed with the soluble acrylic to form an acrylic/keratin composite that was finally cast into film. The topography of the acrylic/keratin film was studied using scanning electron microscopy. The chemical composition of the obtained film was assigned using elemental analysis and infrared spectroscopy. The substantivity of the prepared acrylic/keratin film towards anionic (acid and reactive) and cationic (basic) dyes was studied. The obtained film exhibited high dyeability towards both acid and reactive dyes even at relatively low dyeing temperatures. Hydrazine hydrate was used to enhance the dyeability of the said film with acid and reactive dyes. Kinetic studies of the dyeing of the film with anionic dyes were also conducted.

Contaminated drinking water in many parts of the world causes acute health dilemma. An easily applicable method to detect this invisible hazard in domestic tap water is of prime importance. In this investigation we developed a spectro-photometric quantitative method for detection of free chlorine in domestic tap water using protein-based analytical stripes. Two renewable proteins; namely keratin and sericin were extracted from waste materials (coarse wool fleece and raw natural silk) and supported on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix. The formed protein/PVA composite was used as a hosting material for starch/potassium iodide reagent which liberates iodine upon interaction with free chlorine in water. The liberated iodine generates a measurable bluish colored complex with starch. Detection of chlorine in water was conducted in presence and absence of possible interfering moieties; Viz. elemental bromine as well as bromide and fluoride ions. Amino acid analysis, gel filtration chromatography and Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry monitored the alteration in the chemical composition of the extracted proteins. The proper method of storage and usage of the proposed analytical stripes was adopted by measuring the solubility of the prepared protein-based composite in water, alkali, and urea-bisulphite solution. The ability of the said composite to withstand deterioration from bacteria was also assessed. Scanning electron microscopy was used to study the surface characteristic of the prepared composites. The proposed stripes are convenient to detect low range levels of free chlorine especially for drinking water or pools below to 4 ppm.

Keratin/polyvinyl alcohol (K/PVA) composite film was prepared from renewable natural resources; namely coarse wool, feather, camel hair, and human hair, by a simple cheap method. The thermal properties of the said composite; viz. differential scanning calorimetry and thermo-gravimetric analysis were studied. The hygroscopic behavior of K/PVA composite was monitored using moisture absorption test. Results revealed that the obtained K/PVA film exhibits thermal stability comparable with that of both the raw keratin and PVA. The moisture regain of K/PVA film is comparable with that of the starting material. The chemical composition of the bulk and the outermost 10 nanometer of native keratin as well as K/PVA composite were monitored using elemental analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy; respectively. The surface morphology of the formed keratin/PVA film was studied using scanning electron microscopy.

Microwave irradiation was used to reduce consumption of energy and time during bleaching of wool fabrics with hydrogen peroxide. The effect of some reaction conditions; viz. hydrogen peroxide concentration, treatment time, presence of stabilizer, on degree of whiteness imparted to bleached wool, was studied systematically. Comparative study between bleaching of wool using microwave irradiation and conventional heating was undergone. The effect of bleaching of wool on its morphological structure was assigned by scanning electron microscopy. The change in some chemical and physicomechanical characteristics of bleached wool was monitored; namely whiteness index, alkali solubility, wettability, critical surface area, tensile strength, and elongation at break, of the treated as well as untreated fabrics were measured. The microwave-assisted bleaching of wool resulted in improved degree of whiteness comparable to that is obtained using conventional heating method. However, the microwave-assisted bleached wool s...

This investigation deals with obtaining bacterial-resistant keratin macromolecules holding built-in antimicrobial niches. Wool fabrics were sulphitolyzed using various concentrations of sodium metabisulfite at different temperatures, treatment times, and pH values. The effect of sulfitolysis of wool on its resistance towards bacteria, namely Escherichia coli (G –ve) and Staphylococcus aureus (G +ve), was assessed. The sulfitolyzed wool fabric withstands the deteriorative action of the aforementioned species without adverse effect on its desirable inherent properties. The change in the chemical composition of the treated wool fabrics was monitored using alkali solubility test, amino acid analysis, and elemental analysis. The influence of sulfitolysis of wool on its whiteness index as well as its tensile strength and elongation at break was also assessed.

Keratinous materials, namely, coarse wool or feather, were dissolved in mixture of alkali metal hydroxide or alkaline earth metal hydroxide in the presence of swelling and reducing agents. The obtained soluble keratin was mixed with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) before being electro-spun into fibers. The protein content of the obtained composite was determined using Bradford method. Keratin/PVA (K/PVA) fibers were plasticized using aliphatic triol and cross-linked using bi-functional aldehyde. The amino acid composition in K/PVA regenerated fibers was determined. The change in the morphological structure of the said fibers relative to the starting native substrate was assigned using scanning electron microscopy. Results of this investigation clarify that the proposed method of dissolution and regeneration of keratin is suitable to obtain regenerated keratinous fibers with outstanding resistance to moth larvae attack.

This work aims to study the effect of pretreatment of wool fabrics with two imidazolium-based ionic liquids to impart durable antimicrobial properties. The used ionic liquids, cationic in nature, were ionically bonded to the anionic sites along the keratin macromolecules. These anionic sites have been enriched via treatment with the presynthesized anionic agent (AA) (sodium 4-(4,6-dichloro-1,3,5-triazinylamino)-benzenesulfonate). The effect of the treatment temperature of wool fabric with the AA, liquor ratio as well as the pH on the exhaustion percentage was studied. Antibacterial activity of the treated wool fabric towards Gram –ve bacteria (Escherichia coli), and fastness to washing were examined. The chemical structure of the synthesized AA was elucidated using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry.

Wool fabrics were pretreated with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of different stabilisers; namely, sodium silicate, magnesium sulphate and imino disuccinic acid sodium salt. The effect of stabiliser type and concentration on the properties of the treated wool were studied. Imino disuccinic acid sodium salt was found to be the most effective stabiliser for hydrogen peroxide when added to the bleaching bath of wool fabric. The effect of after-treatment of the pre-oxidised wool fabric with commercially produced lipoprotein lipase enzyme on its dyeability with acid and reactive dyes, as well as on some of its physico-mechanical properties, was assessed. Chemical and microscopic analyses were conducted to assess changes in the chemical composition of wool treated with this system. Wool fabrics treated with hydrogen peroxide/imino disuccinic acid sodium salt/lipoprotein lipase enzyme exhibit improved wettability and, hence, dyeability with both acid and reactive dyes, as well as enhanced resistance to felting shrinkage and pilling, without severe deterioration in the fabric’s inherent properties.

A new process for feltproofing of wool fibers based on the biopolymer sericin is reported. The susceptibility of wool to sericin has been enhanced by creation of new active sites along the wool keratin molecules, such as cysteic acid and S-cystine sulphonate residues, by pretreatment with hydrogen peroxide and sodium sulphite. The sericin-combining capacity of wool has been even enhanced by carrying out the reaction in the presence of different crosslinkersnamely dimethylol dihydroxy ethylene urea, dimethyl dihyroxy ethylene urea, and epichlorohydrin, which are able to link sericin with the available sites of wool. The effect of these treatments on some of the inherent properties of wool as well as on its morphological structure is also reported. The felting resistance of wool tops treated with the system H2O2 /Na2SO3/sericin/ECH (felt ball density 0.045 g /cm3) is close to that of the machine washable wool obtained commercially (felt ball density 0.039 g /cm3).

A new mechanical method for treatment of wool fibers has been predicted to impart certain desired properties to coarse wool. Subsequent treatment of wool with sodium sulfite and the proteolytic enzyme savinase 16L, Type EX has been conducted. The treated wool fibers have better dyeability with acid, reactive, and basic dyes than the untreated ones. The felting resistance of wool has been enhanced to an acceptable degree. Scanning electron microscopy investigation has been used to monitor any change in the morphological structure of wool fibers.

A comparative study was carried out between degumming of raw silk yarns by the conventional methods of degumming and those assisted by microwave radiation. Different reagents are used for this study; viz., mineral acid, alkaline substances, domestic soap, and commercial protease. The proteolytic enzyme savinase 16L type EX was found to be effective in degumming of silk either by conventional method or in combination with microwave. The microwave irradiation reduces, to a great extent, the time needed to reach the same degree of degumming by the conventional method. The effect of the aforementioned treatments on some of the inherent properties of silk was monitored. Scanning electron microscopic investigation was carried out to clarify the effect of these treatments on the morphological structure of silk yarns.

The present investigation aims to establish an environmentally safe condition for felt- and shrink-proofing of wool fibres. This has been performed by using the ‘hydrogen peroxide/tetraacetyl ethylene diamine’, or ‘hydrogen peroxide/nonanoyl benzene sulphonate’ system to liberate the respective organic peracids. The in situ liberated organic peracids lead to oxidation of wool surface and production of non-feltable wool. After-treatment with cationic reactive polymer (Hercosett 617) has also been carried out to achieve maximum degree of felt and shrink resistance of wool to cope with that used for production of machine washable garments. A systematic study has been carried out to investigate the effect of the different reaction parameters on the extent of improvement of the felting and shrinking resistance of wool. The effect of these treatments on the inherent properties of wool has been also studied. Scanning electron micrographs of the treated wool fibres have shown that the scales on wool surf...