The Supercontraction of Wool in Solutions of Lithium Salts

Abstract

The supercontraction of various types of wool, modified wool, and other keratins has been studied using concentrated solutions of lithium salts, particularly the bromide. The purity of the lithium bromide has been found to be of considerable importance, traces of bromine in the solution having a profound effect. With bromine concentrations in the range 10 -4 -10 -5 M, marked differences between clean and detergent-treated wools have been observed. Removal of the bromine by means of thiosulfate has enabled quantitative measurements to be made of such variables as concentration of lithium bromide, time and temperature of treatment, etc.