Structure and Dyeing of Wool Treated by a Ball-Milling Method

We investigated the relationship between superstructure, especially crystallinity determined by the X-ray diffraction intensity of 2 theta=9 degrees, and dyeing of wool treated by mechano-chemical method, and the effects of water on the structural change of the wool. The cuticles of wool surface seemed to be completely destroyed by ball-milling. The Xray diffraction patterns indicated that the crystallinity (2 theta=9 degrees) originating from a-helix structures of keratin in the wool markedly decreased by the ball-milling when water content of the wool was low. The wool samples with water content of over 25% tended to keep their crystallinity even after the ball-milling treatment. The degree of dyeing of wool samples increased with decrease of the crystallinity of the wool, probably due to increasing accessibility of dyes to inner structure. On the other hand, the superstructure including the crystallinity of the wool seemed to be recovered with addition of water after ball-milling treatment, resulting in low dyeing ability.