Properties Of Wool Research Articles

Sustainable enhancement of wool fibers using Hymenocrater platystegius flower and natural dyes for improved Insect-Repellent and color properties

This study investigates the application of Hymenocrater platystegius flower as a natural mothproofing agent for wool fibers and examines the effects of aluminum mordanting on the dyeing properties of wool treated with various natural dyes. Wool fibers were treated with Hymenocrater platystegius flower powder and aluminum salts, followed by dyeing with Madder, Reseda lutea, Indigo, or Walnut shell dyes using different mordanting methods. FTIR analysis revealed the characteristic absorption bands and confirmed the interactions between the wool fibers and the treatment agents. The insect-repellent properties were assessed by weight loss measurements after exposure to Anthrenus verbasci larvae, showing significant improvements in treated samples, particularly with the combination of Hymenocrater platystegius and aluminum mordanting. GC–MS analysis of the essential oil identified as α-Pinene, Trans-Verbenol, Linalool, and β-Bourbonene as the main constituents, contributing to the insect-repellent effect. The L*a*b* color space analysis demonstrated that aluminum mordanting significantly enhances the color strength and stability of dyed wool, with pre-mordanting generally providing better results. The study further evaluated the washing and light fastness, as well as the mothproofing properties of the dyed wool samples. These results indicate that the weight loss percentages of treated wool fiber after washing are slightly higher than before washing, but the difference is not significant. Overall, the use of aluminum mordant in conjunction with Hymenocrater platystegius flower powder not only improves the color characteristics of wool dyed with natural dyes but also provides effective mothproofing properties, making it a viable and eco-friendly option for textile applications.

Changes in wool properties by oxidation treatment and moisture movement

Changes in wool properties by oxidation treatment and moisture movement

Characterization and estimation of the acoustical and elastic parameters in stone wool samples

Mineral wool is widely used in acoustic applications. The properties of glass wool have been broadly investigated, thus resulting in a good knowledge of its structure and parameters. This information is used to describe mineral wool in general. Nevertheless, other types, such as stone wool, involve a different production process and therefore have a different fibre structure. e.g. stone wool is not transversally isotropic as glass wool. These differences can have important effects depending on the use of the material; therefore, assuming the same parameter values for both materials may lead to inaccurate results in simulations and calculations. Currently there are few studies that characterize both the acoustic and elastic properties of stone wool. This contribution reports on the characterization of two stone wool samples with different densities (~70 kg/m3 and ~140 kg/m3). The characterization aimed at obtaining the parameters that are required for the description of the propagation of sound in the material through the Biot poroelastic model, i.e. the acoustic and elastic parameters. The obtained knowledge enables the adequate modelling of the investigated poroelastic materials in different configurations by numerical methods such as finite elements and the transfer matrix method.

Biochemical Behavior, Influence on Cell DNA Condition, and Microbiological Properties of Wool and Wool-Copper Materials.

The paper presents the study concerning the preparation and physio-chemical and biological properties of wool-copper (WO-Cu) materials obtained by the sputter deposition of copper onto the wool fibers. The WO-Cu material was subjected to physio-chemical and biological investigations. The physio-chemical investigations included the elemental analysis of materials (C, N, O, S, and Cu), their microscopic analysis, and surface properties analysis (specific surface area and total pore volume). The biological investigations consisted of the antimicrobial activity tests of the WO-Cu materials against colonies of Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria, Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria, and fungal mold species (Chaetomium globosum). Biochemical-hematological tests included the evaluation of the activated partial thromboplastin time and pro-thrombin time. The tested wool-copper demonstrated the ability to interact with the DNA in a time-dependent manner. These interactions led to the DNA's breaking and degradation. The antimicrobial and antifungal activities of the WO-Cu materials suggest a potential application as an antibacterial/antifungal material. Wool-copper materials may be also used as customized materials where the blood coagulation process could be well controlled through the appropriate copper content.

Basic research on layered geopolymer composites with insulating materials of natural origin

New restrictions on carbon dioxide emissions and electricity consumption are currently being introduced around the world. Innovative solutions are being adopted in many countries to reduce CO2 emissions and material and energy consumption. The present work is related to the study of innovative binders based on geopolymers for the production of layered building envelopes. The binders are reinforced with composite bars and containing fibers of natural origin. The natural materials used to produce the samples are completely biodegradable. A 10-mol sodium hydroxide solution with an aqueous solution of sodium silicate was used for alkaline activation of geopolymers. The purpose of the study was to compare and determine the insulating properties of natural fiber-based materials such as coconut mat, jute felt, hemp felt, flax felt, flax wool, hemp wool, flax-jute wool, and to determine the effect of these materials on geopolymer composites, in which 4 layers of natural insulating materials were used, and the composites were reinforced by fiberglass bars. The publication presents the results of physicochemical studies of geopolymerization precursors and natural insulating materials, studies of thermal properties of fibers, mats, felts and wools, morphology of fiber structure and texture, as well as physical and thermal properties of finished multi-layer partitions. The results indicate the great potential of these materials in prefabrication and structural-insulation applications. The fabricated composites using 4 layers of natural fibers showed improved thermal conductivity by as much as 40% (reduced thermal conductivity from 1.36 W/m × K to about 0.8 W/m × K). The work may have future applications in energy-saving and low-carbon construction.

Towards environmental protection and safety coloration process in wool fibers: Role of disperse reactive dyes structure

Traditional wool fibers dyeing uses a huge amount of water and energy, and relies on lots of chemicals, which produces huge amounts of lower-biodegradable wastewater, and poses a great threat to the water environment. Here, to investigate the role of disperse reactive dyes structure on the dyeing properties, a sustainable waterless dyeing of wool fibers was investigated with four synthesized disperse reactive dyes by using supercritical CO2 as a non-aqueous dyeing medium. The effects of dyeing time, pressure, temperature and dye concentration on the dyeing properties were discussed. The results showed that K/S values up to 5.5 under the optimal dyeing condition of 383.15 K, 23 MPa, and 70 min were obtained, indicating shorter reaction time and higher K/S values compared to similar studies. Moreover, excellent colorfastness to soaping and rubbing up to 4–5 was displayed since nucleophilic substitution reaction occurs between the C atom on the triazine group of disperse reactive dyes and -NH2 on the cysteine of fiber macromolecules. This study provides an environmental protection and safety coloration process to produce high-quality wool fiber products by establishing the relationship between structure of disperse reactive dyes and dyeing properties of wool.

The Influence of Various Commonly Used Building Materials on the Shielding Effectiveness, Reflection and Absorption of the Electromagnetic Wave

People spend two-thirds of their time in buildings. Building materials are, therefore, natural shielding for us. Many studies describe the shielding effect of non-building materials. This study evaluates the shielding effectiveness (SE) of electromagnetic fields for various building materials over a frequency range of 1 GHz to 9 GHz. Measurements of SE, reflection (R), and calculated absorption (A) were conducted to determine the shielding properties of mineral wool (MW), hardened polystyrene (PT), extruded polystyrene (PE), polyurethane board (PUR), brick wall (BW), brick wall filled with mineral wool (BW-MW), and concrete wall. The results demonstrate that MW, PT, PE, and PUR exhibit low SE and R, indicating minimal shielding capabilities, with absorption values that do not significantly deviate from the level of measurement uncertainty. Conversely, BW, BW-MW, and concrete wall materials exhibit high SE, with notably increased absorption at higher frequencies, highlighting their potential for effective EMI shielding. Particularly, the concrete wall presents the highest absorption values, making it a superior choice for shielding applications. Reflection trends revealed a plateau for BW in the 6 GHz to 9 GHz range, indicating a frequency-dependent behavior of shielding mechanisms. This study underscores the importance of balancing reflective and absorptive properties in shielding materials and suggests that composite materials may offer enhanced performance. The findings of this research provide guidance for the selection and design of shielding materials in environments with a frequency spectrum of electromagnetic frequencies from 1 GHz to 9 GHz.

Comprehensive evaluation of fleeces with measurement of the basic properties of wool in breeding work

Despite the general crisis in sheep breeding, lack of demand, low prices for the main type of raw material as wool, scientific breeders and farm specialists continue to work on developing new, more competitive breeds and types of sheep. They also carry out targeted selection to achieve high productivity of animals, since in general the level of productivity and especially the quality of wool do not always meet today’s requirements. The main disadvantages of wool supplied to processing plants are its increased contamination, reduced strength and insufficient uniformity. Their elimination is possible only with proper feeding of animals and constant attention of breeders to the quantity and quality of wool products. In the successful implementation of the tasks facing sheep farmers of the Stavropol Territory to increase the production of fine merino wool with its simultaneous improvement, the use of an objective evaluation of the products produced is of no small importance. The purpose of the research was to study the indicators of a comprehensive evaluation of fleeces with the measurement of the basic properties of wool to identify the effective use of stud rams in the breeding campaign. A positive point is the stabilization at a certain level of quality indicators of wool productivity. The average diameter of wool fiber is in the range of 20,6–22,5 microns, which meets the requirements for the production of fine wool. The yield of pure wool, which is influenced by arid natural conditions, ranges from 60,3–65,2 %, which is rated “excellent” on the scale of comprehensive assessment of runes. Fineness less of wool (on average for the breed) occurred according to the breeds: Stavropol, Manych merino, Soviet merino and Dzhalginsky merino by 2,3; 2,4; 0,8 and 1,2 microns, respectively. The yield of pure wool, in turn, increased by breeds by 1,2; 1,6; 0,9 and 8,3 abs.%, respectively. The ratio of clippings to live weight of animals decreased by 0,9; 1,0; 2,7 and 0,5 abs.%, respectively.

The effect of cordura fiber integration on the yarn quality properties of wool and wool/lycra yarn

Cordura fiber, which has high performance against tearing and abrasion, can be used to improve the tear strength and abrasion resistance of low-weight wool/lycra fabrics that can be suitable for daily wear. Thin wool fabric is very comfortable to wear, but lighter fabrics are more prone to appearance problems, since they are less able to resist the forces responsible for the distortions. This study aims to investigate the effect of cordura fiber integration on the yarn quality properties of wool and wool/Lycra yarn. Cordura fiber was integrated into wool and wool/Lycra yarn structure with different fiber percentages and were tested according to related the standard methods to evaluate yarn quality properties such as breaking force, breaking length (RKM), elongation at break, unevenness (CV%), yarn imperfection (thick, thin places and neps) and hairiness.

A new approach to demonstrate the exothermic behavior of textiles by using a thermal manikin: Correction methods of manikin model

In high humidity environments, certain textile fibers, such as wool, viscose, cotton, and polyester, demonstrate a tendency for exothermic heat generation. Utilizing a comprehensive thermal manikin model, this study sought to examine the intricate heat flux patterns across the manikin's torso post an 1800-s transition under fluctuating humidity levels, ranging from 35% to 80%. Initial findings highlighted a dichotomy: some segments exhibited a marked decrease in heat, subsequently recovering, whereas others showed a rapid escalation. Notably, to maintain a skin temperature of 35 °C on the manikin, there was a transient heat reduction in select segments, emphasizing the pivotal role textiles play in ensuring thermal comfort during transient conditions. The research incorporated two distinct data correction methodologies: the first calibrated heat flux measurements based on steady-state values pre and post humidity alteration, and the second drew upon a consistent reference segment, such as the head, which remained unaffected by the fabric. Intriguingly, these heat flux behaviors correlate directly with a fabric's moisture buffering capability, with wool emerging as the most adept, showcasing a buffering efficiency 26%, 45%, and 96% superior to viscose, cotton, and polyester, respectively. Furthermore, the microclimate—a critical layer between garment and skin—plays a determinant role, with wool's microclimate witnessing a sharp 58% surge when external humidity reached 80% after the stipulated transition period. This investigation highlights the unique thermal insulation properties of wool in varying humidity contexts, providing a strong basis for future scholarly investigations into the intricate thermal characteristics of textiles.

Sustainable and green process for recycling waste wool textiles into high-quality protein fibers on a pilot scale

For the first time, waste wool textiles have been recycled into high-quality protein fibers via protein dissolution. Traditional mechanical wool recycling, with serious damage to protein fibers and limited color styles on fibers, only boosts 5% of post-consumer wool recycling rate. Other recycling is hindered due to the failure of dye removal and protein dissolution. Here, we have developed green and sustainable processes of complete dye separation, establishment of desirable molecular entanglement in protein dissolution, and recovery of crosslinkages in spun fibers. More than 80% of waste wool was recycled into protein fibers, which were comparable to virgin wool fibers, with retention of more than 90% of mechanical, wet, and dyeing properties of virgin wool. Recycled dyes, completely separated from proteins via the disruption of molecular interactions in wool and controlled protein precipitation, were reused and demonstrated the desired dyeability without generating dye wastes.

Determination of Thermal Properties of Mineral Wool Required for the Safety Analysis of Sandwich Panels Subjected to Fire Loads.

The paper presents theoretical, experimental and numerical studies on the thermal behavior of mineral wool used in sandwich panels. The aim of this study is to investigate the thermal properties of mineral wool at elevated temperatures and provide a simple model that would allow us to determine the heat propagation in sandwich panels during a fire. The paper proposes a new method to experimentally evaluate thermal diffusivity, derived from theoretical premises. Experiments are conducted in a laboratory furnace where specimens are placed and temperatures inside specimens are measured. Different methods are used to process the test results and calculate the thermal diffusivity of mineral wool. Finally, a numerical analysis of heat transfer using the finite element method (FEM) is performed to validate the obtained thermal properties.

Technical wood wool for composites

Due to its very good mechanical properties at low density, wood is a high potential and sustainable raw material for composite applications. Wood as small particles are commonly processed with polymers to Wood-Polymer-Composites (WPC). Thereby, the inherent strength of the wood is not used to its full potential. In order to transfer the strength properties of solid wood with good shaping properties to composite, wood wool properties were studied. Wood wool is a well-known raw material in the wood-processing industry and is mainly used for packaging, animal bedding and insulation boards [1, 2]. The use of wood wool as a flexible, formable reinforcement for polymer composites is not known so far. Therefore industrial wood wool and developed experimental wood wool are investigated and evaluated for their suitability as fibre reinforcement for composites. The mechanical properties, in particular the tensile strength, are the relevant factors.

Avail of the glass wool properties using the aperture-coupled technique to design a thermal smart jacket

Avail of the glass wool properties using the aperture-coupled technique to design a thermal smart jacket

Determining the Permeability and Handle Properties of Wool, Yak and Cashmere Hand-knitted Fabrics

ABSTRACT Luxury fibers are used for their tactile properties, comfortable feeling for the users, and sometimes for status in society. These fibers are all protein-based and have always been compared to the properties of wool. Cashmere is known for its incredibly soft and warm yet lightweight and breathable qualities, making it a must-have fabric for any fall and winter closet. Besides labored and time-wasting cashmere production makes the fiber very expensive. Yak fiber is an alternative to expensive cashmere with similar properties, which costs only a quarter of cashmere. In this study, air and water vapor permeability properties, which are important for consumer comfort were investigated in addition to handle properties of the fabrics compared with the properties of the fabrics made of wool fibers. It was found that yarns made of wool fibers were easy to spin in fine yarn counts whereas yarns made of yak fibers were the coarsest. Hand-knitted fabrics made of cashmere fibers had the softest feeling even if the fabrics were produced with similar technical specifications. The permeability results of the fabrics were different, especially the porosity of the fabrics had a higher impact on the permeability of the fabrics.

슬로우 패션을 위한 블루베리 염색성에 관한 연구

Blueberries were used to test the solution concentration, dyeing temperature, and pH concentration on cotton, linen, wool, and silk fabrics, which are natural fibers, as an eco-friendly method for slow fashion. In blueberry dyeing, cotton, linen, wool, and silk fabrics were commonly found to have better dyeing properties as the solution concentration increased, and overall, they were found to have the most stable and excellent dyeing properties at pH 3. Cotton and linen fabrics had better dyeing properties as the dyeing temperature decreases. Cotton fabrics represent various colors of green, purple, and blue depending on the dyeing conditions, and linen fabrics represent purple colors. The higher the dyeing temperature, the better the dyeing properties of wool and silk fabrics have better dyeing properties. The surface color of wool represents a brown color with yellow. In silk fabrics, the pH concentration is a very important factor rather than the solution concentration and the dyeing temperature, and the surface color ranges from red-purple to brown colors. Cotton, linen, wool, and silk fabrics all have a low grade of fade in colorfastness to washing, but the stain is all excellent in grades 4-5. Colorfastness to rubbing was found to be quite excellent, and Colorfastness to light was found to have a low overall grade.

Investigation of EMI and UV–IR shielding properties of wool and cotton/elastane nanocomposite fabrics

Investigation of EMI and UV–IR shielding properties of wool and cotton/elastane nanocomposite fabrics

WOOL PRODUCTIVITY AND QUALITY OF RUSSIAN MEAT MERINO SHEEP FROM INTRA- AND INTERLINE SELECTION

Line breeding is often used in purebred animal husbandry, although the combination of lines may affect undesirable result. Therefore, it is very important for animal breeders to know which lines of animals can be combined to produce highly productive offspring with high meat and wool properties. This article studies the influence of interline selection of Russian meat merino breed on wool productivity, quality and skin histostructure. We found that the highest clipping was in the animals of group III obtained from ME-50 line rams and AS-30 line ewes. Ewes exceeded their peers of group II from the intraline AC-30 selection and peers of group IV from AS-30 line rams and ME-50 line queens. At the same time, ewes of group III insignificantly exceeded peers of group I from intraline selection of ME-50 line animals by 2.0% (P>0.05). Animals of group III had rather high fleece indices in terms of the wool condition due to the influence of ME-50 rams. Moreover, they had the highest ratio of “fat:sweat” (0.84), which confirms the high technological wool properties of this genotype. The quality of sheepskins depends on the nature of the connection of collagen fibers in the reticular layer. In terms of the thickness of the skin reticular layer young ewes of the group III exceeded their peers in groups I, II and IV by 5.3% (P> 0.05), 21.9% ( P<0.01) and 12.0% (P<0.05) respectively.

Mechanical, thermal, and acoustic properties of natural fibre-reinforced polyester

Natural fibres have been used in a wide range of polymer composite reinforcements to produce new composites with good properties that can be used in many applications. In this study, the fracture toughness, acoustic, and thermal properties of date palm fibre (DPF)/polyester composite and DPF/sheep wool hybrid reinforced polyester were investigated. Physical properties, such as water absorption and thickness swelling, have also been reported. Finally, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the composites and hybrids were obtained. The composites and hybrids were produced by compression moulding and cut into standard shapes before being tested. DPF and DPF/sheep wool contents (wt%) were 0%, 10%, 20% and 30%. The test results indicate that the fracture toughness improved from 3.45 MPa·m1/2 (with 0% additive content) to 11.55 MPa·m1/2 (with 20% DPF content) and 13.95 MPa·m1/2 (with 20% hybrid content). The energy release rate increased from 3.99 kJ/M2 (with 0% additive content) to 39.82 kJ/M2 (with 20% DPF content) and 53 kJ/M2 (with 20% hybrid content) due to the good adhesion between the matrix and fibres. DPF improved the acoustic insulation properties of the polyester/DPF composite with mass fractions of 10%, 20%, and 30%. At a frequency of 2000 Hz, the acoustic attenuation in decibels (dB) increased from 16.2 dB with pure polyester to 17.2, 18.2, and 19.5 dB with 10%, 20%, and 30% DPF content, respectively. The increase in sheep wool and DPF hybrids in the polyester matrix increased the acoustic attenuation to 18.4, 20.6, and 24 dB, respectively, because DPF and sheep wool have good acoustic insulation properties. Thermal conductivity was 0.161 W/m·C with 0% additive content, decreasing to 0.133, 0.107, and 0.082 W/m·C with 10%, 20%, and 30% DPF content, respectively, and 0.112, 0.073, and 0.051 W/m·C for 10%, 20%, and 30% DPF/sheep wool hybrid content, respectively, owing to good thermal insulation properties of DPF and sheep wool. Water absorption gradually increased with DPF and DPF/sheep wool hybrid because DPF and sheep wool have good absorption properties. Thickness swelling increased with increasing DPF and DPF/sheep wool hybrid contents but not to the same extent. SEM images indicated good distribution and bonding of DPF with the polyester matrix up to 20% and good results for DPF/sheep wool with the polyester hybrid at 10% and 20% hybrid content.

Reducing Plastic in Consumer Goods: Opportunities for Coarser Wool

Production and use of plastic products have drastically increased during the past decades and their environmental impacts are increasingly spotlighted. At the same time, coarse wool, a by-product of meat and dairy production, goes largely unexploited in the EU. This paper asks why more coarse wool is not used in consumer goods, such as acoustic and sound-absorbing products, garden products, and sanitary products. This is answered through a SWOT analysis of results from a desktop study and interviews with producers of these products made from wool, as well as policy documents relating to wool, waste, textiles, and plastic. Findings show that on a product level, the many inherent properties of wool create opportunities for product development and sustainability improvements and that using the coarser wool represents an opportunity for replacing plastics in many applications as well as for innovation. This is, however, dependent on local infrastructure and small-scale enterprises, but as such, it creates opportunities for local value chains, value creation, and safeguarding of local heritage. The shift to small-scale and local resource utilization requires systemic change on several levels: Here the findings show that policy can incentivize material usage transitions, but that these tools are little employed currently.