Imaging Wool Fiber Surfaces with a Scanning Force Microscope

Abstract

Surfaces of wool scales are imaged using a scanning force microscope (SFM) and a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM). Atomic force microscope (AFM) images of wool fiber surfaces can be correlated with FESEM micrographs to provide complementary views of surface features. The AFM images are analyzed for scale height; on average there is a 21% increase when changing from air to water. The variability of scale height changes is large, and a model involving both swelling and scale move ment has been proposed. Lateral force microscope (LFM) images show complementary information to topographic AFM images and reveal the effects of surface treatment not available with other imaging techniques. Such images of treated wool surfaces reveal major inhomogeneities in friction, which are interpreted as differences in chem ical composition.