Is the α–β transition of keratin a transition of α-helices to β-pleated sheets. II. Synchrotron investigation for stretched single specimens

Abstract

This article investigates the fashion of structural development along wool and human hair keratinous fibres during stretching. It is shown that necking phenomenon can be observed for the specimens stretched to yield region. X-ray diffraction investigation was carried out using synchrotron radiation for stretched single human hair and wool keratinous fibres. The results showed that the α–β transition was closely related to the necking deformation. The un-necked segments remained the α-form crystallinity; necking paved way to the α–β transition in later steam setting process. These results are consistent with the structural behaviour observed for polymers, indicating that keratin shares the same structural characteristics with polymers.