Applications of Surfactants on Wool Industry. I.

Abstract

The effects of nonionic surfactants containing polyoxyethylenglycol ether group in their molecule on wool shrinkage were investigated by using shaking type felting machine and worsted yarns. In spite of increase in concentration of nonionics (polyoxethylated octylphenol, nonyiphenol and lauryl alcohol) in the range above 0.05% in felting solution, the amount of shrinkage was almost same and became smaller with increase in moles of ethylene oxide in polyoxyethylated surfactants. At the same ethenoxy level, nonionics consisted of phenyl radicals showed more ability to felt wool than polyoxyethylene alkylether. About the effect of pH on wool shrinkage in absence and presence of polyoxyethylene octylphenyl ether (P=10), it was quite same in the range of pH values from 4 to 9 but below 3 or above 10, especially, in the former, rapid shrihkage took place. In presence of polyoxythylene octylphenylether, the amount of wool shrinkage was more than that in absence, independently from the pH. The rate of shrinkage in absence as well as in presence of nonionics increased with temperature in the range of 2030°C, but became constant, above 30°C. The correlation between surface tension and wool shrinkage was revealed and it was confirmed that the felting solution having lower surface tension showed more shrinking ability on wool.