52—A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CROSS-LINKING IN LINCOLN WOOL AND UREA-BISULPHITE SOLUBILITY, SWELLING RATIO AND YOUNG'S MODULUS

Abstract

Wool can be cross-linked by mild alkaline treatment at moderate temperatures, and the degree of cross-linking can be consistently estimated from the change in urea-bisulphite solubility or from the cystine lost by the wool during the alkali treatment. The swelling ratios and Young's moduli of alkali-treated and oxidized fibres can be fitted satisfactorily into theoretical equations connecting these properties with the degree of cross-linking of the fibres.