Chemically modified wools of enhanced stability

Abstract

Recent work at this Bureau has shown that the disulfide cross-linkages of wool can be transformed to more stable bis-thioether linkages by a two-step process. The disulfide groups are first reduced to sulfhydryl groups by me.1ns of a, mercaptan, and then, by treating the wool with ftn aliphatic dihalide, pairs of sulfur atoms are linked together through short hydrocarbon chains. Wools modified by such a process have now been studied more extensively. It was found that they are decidedly more stable than untreated wool toward many chemical agents, including alkalies , acids, oxidizing agents, and reducing agents; are stained less easily by metl,ls; and are attacked much less readily by certain biological agents, including moths, carpet beetles, and enzymes.