Wool Fabrics Research Articles

Effect of Liquid Ammonia on the Structure and Properties of Superfine Wool Fibers

Superfine wool fiber has a soft and luxurious texture, excellent moisture absorption and is warmer and more comfortable than ordinary wool. Liquid ammonia, which has exceptional permeability, exerts a certain modification effect on the surface scales of wool in the finishing and processing of wool fabric, thereby enhancing its wear performance. However, limited research has been conducted on the impact of liquid ammonia on valuable wool fibers such as superfine wool and cashmere. In this article, superfine wool tops were treated with continuous liquid ammonia finishing equipment and the effects of liquid ammonia on the microstructure and surface morphology of superfine wool fiber were investigated. In addition, the changes in length, fineness, anti-felting, and dyeing properties of superfine wool fiber after liquid ammonia treatment were examined. The results demonstrated that the interstitial integrity of intercellular substance of superfine wool was compromised following treatment with liquid ammonia, which had a greater tendency to infiltrate cortical cells and induce alterations in wool structure and performance. Furthermore, the surface scales of superfine wool were damaged after treatment with liquid ammonia, leading to improved anti-felting and dyeing properties.

Weaving in Late Fourteenth-Century Yorkshire: An Early Example of Proto-Industrialisation?

In 1399 an inquisition considered infringements of the York weavers’ guild monopoly over weaving coloured and striped woollen cloths within the county of Yorkshire. It detailed the nature and extent of rural cloth-making in Yorkshire at the close of the fourteenth century, a period recently identified as one of significant transition within the national economy. The inquisition provides an invaluable insight into the spatial distribution of the weavers, the volume of their production and its seasonal nature. The important roles played by women and immigrants within this industry are also illuminated through this document. Geographically, weaving was spread across much of the central part of the county. The inquisition reveals a pattern of production that was predominantly small-scale, of limited duration, and of limited output. The evidence provided by the inquisition offers a rare opportunity to examine proto-industrialisation within a late-medieval context.

In situ construction of iron-rich metal-organic frameworks on wool surface for enhanced flame retardancy and low smoke generation

The incorporation of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) on textile materials to enhance flame retardancy is of interest and challenge. In this study, an iron-rich MOF (Fe-MOF) was constructed in situ on wool fabric surface through the alternating assembly of ferric metal salt and the carboxylic acid ligand 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid. The surface morphology, flame retardancy, smoke and heat release performance, thermal stability, and flame-retardant mechanism of the Fe-MOF coated wool fabric were investigated. Square-shaped crystals were observed on the coated wool fabric, indicating successful construction of Fe-MOF on the wool surface. The coated wool fabric with an add-on of 6.8% exhibited excellent flame retardancy, as evidenced by its self-extinguishing ability during the vertical burning test and a significantly enhanced limiting oxygen index of 32.6%. Moreover, the coated wool fabric demonstrated a remarkable reduction in heat and smoke production of 23.8% and 68.4%, respectively, indicating enhanced fire safety. The analysis of char residue, including thermal stability, surface morphology, iron content, and graphitization degree, supported the formation of ferric oxides as a protective layer, contributing to the improved flame retardancy of the Fe-MOF coated wool in the condensed phase. The in situ construction of Fe-MOF on wool macromolecules offers a promising and innovative approach for developing nonhalogen and nonphosphorus flame-retardant systems.

High extraction and excellent anti-UV and anti-oxidant proprieties of lignin from Reseda Luteola L. waste by organosolv process

Lignin is an abundant natural biopolymer found in plant cell walls. Lignin can come from tinctorial plants, whose residual biomass after dye extraction was typically discarded as waste. The main objective of this study was to extract lignin from the residual biomass of Reseda luteola L. using an organosolv process and to optimize the extraction conditions. The extracted lignin was characterized, and its potential applications as an antimicrobial, anti-oxidant, and anti-UV agent were investigated. Response surface methodology based on a Box-Behnken design was employed to optimize the lignin extraction conditions (organic acid concentration, material-to-liquid ratio, extraction time). The extracted lignin was comprehensively characterized using NMR, FTIR, XRD, SEM-EDX, TGA, DSC, and UV–Vis techniques. The optimal extraction conditions yielded a remarkably high lignin recovery of 62.41 % from the plant waste, which was rarely achieved for non-wood plants in previous works. The extracted lignin exhibited excellent thermal stability and radical scavenging anti-oxidant activity but no significant antimicrobial effects. Treating wool fabrics with lignin nanoparticles substantially enhanced UV protection from the “good” to “excellent” category based on the UPF rating. This sustainable valorization approach converted abundant tinctorial plant waste into high-purity lignin with promising anti-oxidant and UV-blocking properties suitable for various applications.

Mechanical and radar absorption properties of sheep wool/epoxy composites

PurposeThe aim of this study is to determine the fracture behavior of wool felt and fabric based epoxy composites and their responses to electromagnetic waves.Design/methodology/approachNotched and unnotched tensile tests of composites made of wool only and hybridized with a glass fiber layer were carried out, and fracture behavior and toughness at macro scale were determined. They were exposed to electromagnetic waves between 8 and 18 GHz frequencies using two horn antennas.FindingsThe keratin and lignin layer on the surface of the wool felt caused lower values to be obtained compared to the mechanical values given by pure epoxy. However, the use of wool felt in the symmetry layer of the laminated composite material provided higher mechanical values than the composite with glass fiber in the symmetry layer due to the mechanical interlocking it created. The use of wool in fabric form resulted in an increase in the modulus of elasticity, but no change in fracture toughness was observed. As a result of the electromagnetic analysis, it was also seen in the electromagnetic analysis that the transmittance of the materials was high, and the reflectance was low throughout the applied frequency range. Hence, it was concluded that all of the manufactured materials could be used as radome material over a wide band.Practical implicationsSheep wool is an easy-to-supply and low-cost material. In this paper, it is presented that sheep wool can be evaluated as a biocomposite material and used for radome applications.Originality/valueThe combined evaluation of felt and fabric forms of a natural and inexpensive reinforcing element such as sheep wool and the combined evaluation of fracture mechanics and electromagnetic absorption properties will contribute to the evaluation of biocomposites in aviation.

One-step bleaching method for animal fiber by persulphate/hydrogen peroxide: Degradation mechanism of eumelanin

Dark animal fiber is bleached to satisfy the demand of color diversity for clothing. Comparing with frequently-used Fe2+ catalyzed H2O2 (Fe2+/H2O2) bleaching method, the ammonium persulfate (APS)/H2O2 bleaching method based on the persulfate (PDS)-based advanced oxidation process is considered to be an environmentally animal fiber bleaching method, which is advantageous in high efficiency, heavy metal-free and low damage. However, the degradation mechanism of eumelanin of APS/H2O2 bleaching method remains to be explored. Herein, standard eumelanin (SM) which has higher purity of eumelanin was used as reaction model, and SM was proved to degrade into five soluble oligomers by chemical structure analysis. Therefore, a new degradation pathway of eumelanin in APS/H2O2 solution was simulated and proposed by in vitro experiment. In addition, the yak wool fiber was low damage by testing the fiber structure before and after bleaching. The dyeing property of yak wool fabrics had no effect on APS/H2O2 bleaching. This investigation of degradation products provides new insights into the bleaching mechanism of APS/H2O2 environmentally dark animal fiber bleaching method.

Chitosan/bentonite composite as a green mordant for Alkanna tinctoria root dyeing of wool fabrics

Chitosan/bentonite (CS/BT) composite material was used to pretreat wool fabric to optimize its dyeing performance. CS/BT composite was prepared and XRD patterns showed that chitosan intercalated between bentonite layers. The wool was pretreated with chitosan (CS) and CS/BT before dyeing with Alkanna tinctoria (AT) root. FTIR and SEM indicated that CS/BT can increase the positive surface charge of wool and be more evenly and densely distributed on wool fibers than CS. After treating wool with CS/BT, exhaustion rate of AT root increased from 40% to 80%, delta E value decreased from 3.79 NBS to 0.62 NBS. At the same time, there is no loss of color fastness and tensile strength while CS treated wool has varying degrees of loss in both aspects. In summary, BT/CS can be used as a green mordant for AT root dyeing wool to improve dyeing performance.

Tracing the biographies of textiles in the transition of medieval to modern times: Wool fabrics and brigandines from an Iberian castle

Findings of archaeological textiles and fibres in Northern Iberia are extremely rare. The occurrence of a set of textile fragments, dated between the 14th and 16th centuries CE at the Pambre castle (Palas de Rei, Lugo, Spain) is exceptional. The original stone roof of the southeastern tower was intact. The dark, cold and moist conditions inside the tower favoured the preservation of a unique series of waterlogged textile remains. In addition, a set of pseudomorphs preserved by mineral replacement were recovered from the east edge of the north wing in the main hall of the castle. Fibres have been identified using optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and they have been chemically characterised using Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDX). We also performed analytical pyrolysis-GC-MS (Py-GC-MS) and thermally assisted hydrolysis and methylation (THM-GC-MS) of the wool fabrics and pseudomorphs to assess their state of degradation and the presence of chemical markers associated to the use of these textile remains. High performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD-MS) and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS/MS) analysis were applied on wool fabrics to identify the chemical markers of dyes but without success. To expand the information related to raw material identification and the technical aspects of the fabrics, further evidence such as adherences identified as opal phytoliths, seeds, and insect remains associated to wool fabrics were examined. These findings offer a unique glimpse into the clothing dated to the end of the Medieval period, and its life-cycle. Wool scraps were probably part of at least two different garments, whereas the mineralised textiles probably formed part of at least two brigandines which were made of bast fibres, flax, or hemp.

Reuse of waste dye bathes for sustainable wool dyeing by depletion of metal salts and plant-based dyes

Natural dyes and natural dyeing have been on the agenda of the scientific community for a long time due to their many advantages. Nonetheless, low affinity, low fixation rates of natural dyes, and occurrence of closely related metal-containing waste baths can be listed as disadvantages. This paper offers a different approach to eliminate these disadvantages. To that end, wool fabrics were dyed in the presence of four different natural dye sources (green walnut shells/husks, barberry shrub roots, madder roots, and alkanet roots) and three metal-based (aluminum, copper, and iron) mordanting agents. Baths remaining from the first dyeings were used an extra four times for repetitive dyeings. It was revealed that satisfying/acceptable colors and sufficient color yields could be obtained for all-natural dyes even after the 5th dyeing using the same dye bath. However, it was regarded as reasonable to obtain lighter colors and lower color yields with an increasing number of repetitions. The color shifts started to be observed especially after the second dyeings, which could be attributed to the significantly reduced amount of natural dye and the mordanting agent left in the waste dye baths. This divergence was seen at least in barberry shrub root-based dyeings. In addition, it was interesting to note that wet fastnesses of all dyeings with all mordants were generally good and even improved with repeated dyeings, while light fastnesses were initially medium-low and decreased slightly with repeated dyeings.

A new strategy for structural color fabrics: Transfer of photonic crystal coatings from slides to fabrics

The construction of three-dimensional photonic crystals on textile surfaces has emerged as a highly effective method to create fabrics with structural color, generating significant interest among researchers. However, the strict requirements of the substrate fabrics and the challenges associated with patterning coatings for bright structural colors have hindered the widespread application of photonic crystal materials in the textile industry. In this study, we present a strategy for obtaining patterned structural color coatings on fabrics made of different materials. Pre-crystallized poly(styrene-methyl methacrylate-acrylic acid) (P(St-MMA-AA)) liquid photonic crystals (LPCs) are used as raw material for the rapid preparation of solid photonic crystals (SPCs). These SPCs with structural colors are used as templates and transferred to various fabrics through transfer printing techniques. Importantly, the SPCs maintain an ordered face-centered cubic structure both before and after transfer. Such a feature ensures that the processed structural color fabrics exhibit vibrant and iridescent structural colors. This result is achieved by modification of the substrate fabric with viscous polymer and the intact retention of SPCs. The sandwich structure formed by the adhesive polymer on the base fabric and the encapsulation of the film-forming material on the SPCs imparts good stability to the structural color fabric. It is worth noting that patterned photonic crystal coatings can be easily obtained on the fabrics made of different materials (cotton, linen, wool, and silk fabrics) by manipulating the shape of the viscous polymer. Additionally, a wide range of common materials, such as paper, wood, steel, and others, can be used as target substrates. This novel dyeing strategy not only offers new ideas for preparing patterned structural color fabrics but also further promotes the application of photonic crystal materials in textile printing or display.

A Poetic Community: Colonel David Humphreys' Model Industrial Village

AbstractThis is the story of David Humphreys' efforts to plan and develop America's first sustained and successful woollen textile mill and village in the United States beginning in 1806. Informed by the debates over the future economic direction of the new nation, his efforts represented a coalescence of the pro‐agricultural thoughts and ideas commonly espoused by the Democratic‐Republican Party and the pro‐manufacturing positions of Alexander Hamilton and the Federalists. The Humphreysville experiment showed that America could competitively manufacture high‐quality woollen goods; factory‐based manufacturing could be undertaken in a healthy, safe, and moral community; and agricultural and industrial interests could be combined for the public welfare. Moreover, Humphreysville was intended to be a model village where economic, social, and cultural aspects of the community were just as important as the economic production of cloth. Many of the elements of the social planning found in Humphreysville were later applied in the Slater‐Rhode Island and Waltham‐Lowell systems of textile mills and settlements throughout the nineteenth century.

Functionalization of wool fabric by rice stubble extract dyeing and bio-mordanting

In this research, rice stubble, an air-polluting agricultural waste after burning the current years, was considered to explore a sustainable application in rice-growing countries. The rice stubble extract was used to dye and functionalize the wool fabric. The dyed woollen fabrics were thoroughly characterized concerning their physical, chemical and comfort properties by scanning electron microscope (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), and ultraviolet protection factor (UPF). The color characteristics, color fastness against the woollen fabrics, and flame retardancy were also assessed. The results revealed that the rice stubble extract has a coloring chromophore to offer bright shades with considerable fastness abilities. The rice stubble-dyed woollen fabrics showed considerable water vapor permeability, efficient UV shielding, and adequate flame Retardancy. The dyed woollen fabrics showed a maximum water vapor permeability of 2500 g/m2/24h, ultraviolet shielding of 350, and a limiting oxygen index of 30.

Implementation of an Automatic Polishing Process with a Conveyor Mechanism

In the current industrial environment, products’ life cycles have become shorter and the need for more sophisticated molds with free-form surfaces has drastically increased. However, the polishing process of a product needs the exceptional skill of an experienced master. It is difficult to increase productivity if the manually operative process is not automated. So, the main objective of this project is to reduce manpower and time consumption of the polishing process in the industry. Which leads to increases in the productivity rate. This project deals with the automation of polishing work by the use of an industrial mechanical arm with a conveyor. Since polishing work, which takes much time, requires experience, patience, and skill, it is manually performed by skilled workers. This project aims at rationalizing such difficult polishing work by introducing a mechanical arm with conveyor and CAD technology. The arm can be equipped with a polishing tool, i.e., Buffing wheels, also known as mops, are either made from cotton or wool cloth and come bleached or unbleached. In addition, the project is to achieve a robust process that results in a consistent surface finish, the roughness of which can be specified and controlled.

Influence of layering sequence on performance of jute/wool epoxy hybrid composites: a comparative study with automotive plastic

Natural fibres such as Jute and Wool are increasingly being used in fibre reinforced polymer composites, hence progressively supplanting synthetic fibres. Combining these two unique natural fibers would improve the performance of composites used in secondary structural applications. This study is intended to investigate the effects of Jute and Wool fiber arrangement on mechanical properties in an epoxy matrix. In order to achieve this, hand layup was employed to fabricate composite laminates consisting of four layered fabric layers stacked in sequences, as Jute/Wool/Wool/Jute (JW1), Wool/Jute/Jute/Wool (JW2), Jute/Wool/Jute/Wool (JW3), and Jute/Jute/Wool/Wool (JW4). Effect of these stacking sequences on the properties of Natural Fibre Hybrid Composites (NFHCs) was evaluated by conducting a series of standardized tests such as Flexural, Interlaminar Shear Strength (ILSS), Impact and Single End Notch Bend (SENB) tests, as per ASTM standards. On the other hand an automobile interior thermoplastic material was evaluated for different mechanical properties and compared with hybrid Jute-Wool composite. Experimental results showed that the JW1 composite, exhibited superior mechanical properties because it has tailored with a Wool fabric at the core and Jute fabric on its outer surface. Hence, JW1 had a remarkable tensile strength of 40 MPa, a maximum flexural strength of 99 MPa and extremely high interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) of 3.09 MPa. In addition to this, JW1 also had high fracture toughness, measuring around 72 M P a m 1 /2, and impressive impact strength of 85 J/m2. Furthermore, scanning electron microscope (SEM) photo images confirmed that the presence of strong bonding between the fibres and matrix in JW1 composite exhibited and overall improvement of mechanical performance by 82% when compared with other combinations (JW2, JW3, and JW4) including automotive plastics.

Kinetic and Thermodynamic Analysis of Acid Dye Adsorption on UV/Ozone-Treated Wool Fabric

Kinetic and Thermodynamic Analysis of Acid Dye Adsorption on UV/Ozone-Treated Wool Fabric

Biomechanical Effects of Using a Passive Exoskeleton for the Upper Limb in Industrial Manufacturing Activities: A Pilot Study.

This study investigates the biomechanical impact of a passive Arm-Support Exoskeleton (ASE) on workers in wool textile processing. Eight workers, equipped with surface electrodes for electromyography (EMG) recording, performed three industrial tasks, with and without the exoskeleton. All tasks were performed in an upright stance involving repetitive upper limbs actions and overhead work, each presenting different physical demands in terms of cycle duration, load handling and percentage of cycle time with shoulder flexion over 80°. The use of ASE consistently lowered muscle activity in the anterior and medial deltoid compared to the free condition (reduction in signal Root Mean Square (RMS) -21.6% and -13.6%, respectively), while no difference was found for the Erector Spinae Longissimus (ESL) muscle. All workers reported complete satisfaction with the ASE effectiveness as rated on Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology (QUEST), and 62% of the subjects rated the usability score as very high (>80 System Usability Scale (SUS)). The reduction in shoulder flexor muscle activity during the performance of industrial tasks is not correlated to the level of ergonomic risk involved. This preliminary study affirms the potential adoption of ASE as support for repetitive activities in wool textile processing, emphasizing its efficacy in reducing shoulder muscle activity. Positive worker acceptance and intention to use ASE supports its broader adoption as a preventive tool in the occupational sector.

Green encapsulation of textile dyes using lecithin to increase dyeing performance

Purpose The purpose of this study is to use liposome technology in the treatment of fabrics textiles because of its efficient energy saving, reducing time and temperature. Design/methodology/approach The newly prepared lecithin liposome was used to encapsulate dyes for the purpose of increasing dyeing affinity. Different ratios of commercially available lecithin liposomes (1%, 3%, 5% and 7%) were used simultaneously in the dyeing of cotton and wool fabrics. The treated fabrics (cotton and wool fabrics) were confirmed using different analytical procedures such as scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier-transition infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet protection factor, colour strength (K|S) measurements and fastness measurements. Findings The results show that increasing liposome ratios in dyeing baths leads to increased dyeing affinity for cotton and wool fabrics compared with conventional dyeing without using liposomes. In addition to that, the colour strength values, infrared spectra, SEM and fastness properties of non-liposome-dyed fabrics and liposome-dyed fabrics were investigated. Originality/value The research paper provides broad spectrum of green encapsulation fabrics using liposome technology to perform the dye stability, dye strength and fastness.

Adenosine Triphosphate/Chitin Whisker/Phenylboronic Acid-Modified Wool Fabrics with Enhanced Dyeability.

Promoting the uptake of dyes is an important part of the sustainable processing of wool products. This study presents an effective modification approach to enhance the dyeability of wool fabric with adenosine triphosphate as an activator, 3-carboxyphenyl boronic acid as a ligand-binding agent, and chitin whisker as a couple agent. The structure and surface morphology of the as-prepared wool fabric was characterized in detail. Natural luteolin and acid red 1 were used to dye the modified wool fabric, and the effect of different dyeing parameters on dyeing properties was discussed. The results indicated that the modified wool gained better surface color depth (K/S) and uptake without additional agents than the untreated wool fabric. When the modified wool fabric was dyed at 45 °C with luteolin and at 60 °C with acid red 1, the dyeing processes of the two dyes on the modified wool fabrics followed the Langmuir isotherm and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Furthermore, the dyed modified wool fabrics possessed improved color fastness. Overall, this work offers a facile, effective, and sustainable way to improve the low-temperature dyeability of wool products.

Effect of biomordanting with Aronia melanocarpa leaf extract on coloring and functionalizing of wool and cotton fabrics dyed with A. melanocarpa fruit extract

Effect of biomordanting with Aronia melanocarpa leaf extract on coloring and functionalizing of wool and cotton fabrics dyed with A. melanocarpa fruit extract

Natural dyeing of plasma treated wool with avocado seed extract and use of tartaric acid as bio‐mordant

AbstractIn this study, surface modification of wool fabrics by oxygen plasma was carried out to enhance colour, dyeability and fastness properties. Avocado (Persea americana) seed was selected as the natural dye source, plasma activated wool samples were dyed with the extracted colourant and tartaric acid (10% and 20% owf) was used for simultaneous mordanting. All samples exhibited very good washing and dry rubbing fastness grades. It was observed that plasma treated samples have darker and more saturated colours with a persistent hue and increased wet rubbing fastness grades. Applying plasma treatment and using tartaric acid as bio‐mordant provided a noticeable increase in chroma and colour strength, and a slight improvement in fastness to light. Effect of pH of the dye bath on dyeability and the bio‐mordant role of tartaric acid were also investigated for four mordant concentrations (2%, 5%, 10% and 20% owf), and it was detected that using 5% owf or higher concentrations of tartaric acid provided different colour characteristics and dyeability when compared to the dye solutions prepared with inorganic acid. Based on findings of the study, it was concluded that modifying the fabric surface by oxygen plasma can be used to enhance the dyeing performance without causing a major change in the characteristic hue of the colourant extracted from avocado seeds. The use of tartaric acid ‐ solitary or accompanied with plasma treatment ‐ to increase the affinity between the colouring matter and the fibre was also recommended.