Caramel doped with aromatic compounds as halogen- and phosphorus-free flame-retardant strategy for wool fabric.

The development of halogen- and phosphorus-free flame-retardant strategies is urgently needed in textile industry. In this study, a caramel product doped with aromatic compounds was developed via caramelization and aldol reactions using glucose and p-phthaldialdehyde. The modified caramel (Car@PDA) was subsequently used as a sustainable approach to improve flame retardancy of wool fabric. The flame retardancy, washing durability, heat generation, and flame-retardant mode of action of Car@PDA on wool fabric were investigated. The modified wool fabrics showed excellent flame retardancy, with the limiting oxygen index increasing to 32.5 % and the damaged length decreasing to 10.1 cm, with good self-extinguishing capacity. Car@PDA could combine with wool fibers through Schiff base reaction and electrostatic attraction, so the modified wool fabrics still self-extinguished and met the B1 flame-retardant requirements after 10 washing cycles. The modified wool showed significantly decreased heat release capacity and fire growth rate, suggesting high fire safety. Car@PDA promoted the decomposition of the fabric to form char barrier, thereby achieving an effective flame-retardant effect. In addition, the Car@PDA modification had a minimal effect on the tensile strength and handle of wool fabric. This study provides an innovative way to create bio-based, halogen- and phosphorus-free flame-retardants for protein wool fabrics.

Identification of Key Proteins Related to Cashmere Fiber Diameter by Integrated Proteomics and Bioinformatic Analyses in the Alpas and Alxa Goat Breeds.

BACKGROUND: Goats (Capra hircus) have always been a source of fiber for human use and hold an important place in international high-end textiles. Fiber diameter is the most concerning economic indicator for producers. Understanding the formation mechanism of fiber diameter and its related key proteins can help optimize and control the production of cashmere. METHODS: Cashmere goats (n = 36) of the Alpas (n = 18) and Alxa (n = 18) breeds, with a similar age (2 years old) and live weight (25-26 kg), were selected from the Yiwei White Cashmere Goat Breeding Farm, Erdos, Inner Mongolia. Using phenotypic indicators, we evaluated the diameter of the cashmere fibers in Alxa and Alpas goats. We also used electron microscopy to examine the cashmere fiber's structure and label-free liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to determine the protein content of the two cashmere fibers. The proteins affecting fiber diameter were identified and analyzed by Western blot, Co-Immunoprecipitation, and bioinformatics analysis. RESULTS: The average diameter of the Alxa breed was smaller (p < 0.05) than that of the Alpas breed (Alxa's cashmere vs. Alpas' cashmere). Proteomics technology enabled the highly confident detection of 171 proteins. A total of 68 differentially expressed proteins were identified in the two types of cashmere; 131 proteins were specifically expressed in Alpas goats, and 40 proteins were specifically expressed in Alxa goats. A key protein group that could cause variations in fiber diameter was found using the protein-protein interaction network. To ascertain the reason for the variation in fiber diameter, a structural study of the major protein groups was carried out. CONCLUSIONS: KRT10, KRT14, KRT17, and KRT82 are the main proteins impacting the diameter difference, and they have a substantial effect on the average fiber diameter.

Effects of KRTAP20-1 Gene Variation on Wool Traits in Chinese Tan Sheep.

Chinese Tan sheep lambs are recognised for having tight 'spring-like' curly wool when young, but this phenotype disappears with age. This wool consists of shorter, fine wool fibres (which are usually unmedullated) and heterotypic hair fibres (which are frequently medullated), which are referred to as 'halo hair'. Both the wool and hair fibres consist of α-keratin proteins embedded in a keratin-associated protein (KAP) matrix. Of these KAPs, the KAP20-1 gene (designated KRTAP20-1) and its effect on four fibre traits (mean fibre curvature, mean fibre diameter, fibre diameter standard deviation, and coefficient of variation of fibre diameter) of Tan lambs was studied. Seven previously identified KRTAP20-1 variants (A, B, D, E, F, G, and H) of KRTAP20-1 were revealed, but the previously identified variant C was not present. Of the seven variants detected, only two (A and G) were common and present at frequencies greater than 5%, and the effect of these on the fibre traits of the finer wool fibres was assessed. It was found that variant G was associated with an increased mean fibre curvature in these wool fibres. This suggests that KRTAP20-1 might possibly be expressed differentially in the two fibre types, which may be of future value in breeding.

Analysis of the genetic variance of fibre diameter measured along the wool staple for use as a potential indicator of resilience in sheep.

BACKGROUND: The effects of environmental disturbances on livestock are often observed indirectly through the variability patterns of repeated performance records over time. Sheep are frequently exposed to diverse extensive environments but currently lack appropriate measures of resilience (or sensitivity) towards environmental disturbance. In this study, random regression models were used to analyse repeated records of the fibre diameter of wool taken along the wool staple (bundle of wool fibres) to investigate how the genetic and environmental variance of fibre diameter changes with different growing environments. RESULTS: A model containing a fifth, fourth and second-order Legendre polynomial applied to the fixed, additive and permanent environmental effects, respectively, was optimal for modelling fibre diameter along the wool staple. The additive genetic and permanent environmental variance both showed variability across the staple length trajectory. The ranking of sire estimated breeding values (EBV) for fibre diameter was shown to change along the staple and the genetic correlations decreased as the distance between measurements along the staple increased. This result suggests that some genotypes were potentially more resilient towards the changes in the growing environment compared to others. In addition, the eigenfunctions of the random regression model implied the ability to change the fibre diameter trajectory to reduce its variability along the wool staple. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that genetic variation in fibre diameter measured along the wool staple exists and this could be used to provide greater insight into the ability to select for resilience in extensively raised sheep populations.

MicroRNA expression profiles reveal wool development and fineness regulation in Gansu alpine fine-wool sheep.

The development of wool has a complex regulatory mechanism both influenced by genetic and environmental factors. MicroRNAs (miRNA) were involved in various biological processes of animals, and may play an important role in the regulation of wool development. In this study, we comprehensively analyzed and identified the histological parameters of hair follicles, as well as the miRNAs, target genes, pathways, and Gene Ontology terms related to wool fineness regulation and wool growth and development using HE staining and RNA-Seqs methods. Both coarse (group C, mean fiber diameter (MFD) = 22.26 ± 0.69 µm, n = 6) and fine (group F, MFD = 16.91 ± 0.29 µm, n = 6) of Gansu alpine fine-wool sheep with different wool fineness were used in this study. The results showed that the primary follicle diameter and secondary wool fiber diameter in group C were significantly higher than those in group F (P < 0.05). And the number of primary and secondary hair follicles in group C was significantly lower than that in group F (P < 0.05). Furthermore, a total of 67 DE miRNAs and 290 potential DE miRNAs target genes were screened in the skin tissues of sheep from groups F and C, and some potential target genes related to wool fineness regulation were screened, such as CDH2, KRT82, FOXN1, LOC101106296, KRT20, MCOLN3, KRT71, and TERT. These genes were closely related to Glutathione metabolism, epidermal cell differentiation, keratinization, and regulation of hair cycle. Moreover, the regulatory network of miRNAs-mRNAs suggested that miRNAs (miR-129-x, novel m0079-3p, miR-2484-z, novel m0025-5P, etc.) may play a key role in the wool development and wool fineness regulation of Gansu alpine fine-wool sheep. In summary, this study expands the existing miRNAs database and provides new information for studying the regulation of wool development in Gansu alpine fine wool sheep.

Vapochromic wool fibers for hazardous ammonia detection using xanthohumol biomolecule from natural extract of common hop (Humulus lupulus L.).

Ammonia is a colorless gas, yet it can be fatal if inhaled or ingested in high enough concentrations. Herein, a solid-state colorimetric smart wool (WL) sensor for ammonia was developed. Common hop (Humulus lupulus L.) is a natural resource of spectroscopical dyestuff known as xanthohumol (XN). Wool fabrics were dyed with different concentrations of xanthohumol extract using the high-temperature high-pressure method in the presence of a mordant. The coloration parameters and absorption spectra were employed to explore the yellow-to-white colorimetric shift of the wool fabric after it was exposed to aqueous ammonia. The wool fabric showed an excellent detection limit of 5 to 125 ppm. When the ammonia concentration was increased, the absorbance spectra demonstrated a hypsochromic shift from 498 nm to 367 nm. This could be attributed to changes in the molecular structure of xanthohumol that happen owing to intramolecular charge delocalization. Using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the mordant/xanthohumol nanoparticles were measured to have diameters of 15-40 nm. The xanthohumol-finished wool fabrics showed good colorfastness properties. The incorporation of mordant/xanthohumol nanoparticles into wool fabrics showed no negative effects on their stiffness or air-permeability.

Eco-friendly shrink-resist finishing of wool through synergistic effect of disulfide bond reducing agent and papain.

The environmental benefits of utilizing protease as a biocatalyst for wool shrink-resist finishing have been widely recognized. However, the efficacy of individual protease treatment is unsatisfactory due to its incapability towards the outermost cuticle layer of wool fibers that contains hydrophobic fatty acids. In order to weaken the structural integrity of the highly cross-linked scales and promote the enzymatic anti-felting, sodium sulfite and tris (2-carboxyethyl) phosphine hydrochloride (TCEP) were employed in combination with papain, respectively, aiming at obtaining a low shrinkage without unacceptable fiber damages. Based on the synergistic effect of papain and TCEP, the edges of wool scales were slightly destroyed by the reduction of disulfide bonds, accompanied by enzymatic hydrolysis of the keratin component. Through the controlled reduction and hydrolysis of wool scales, satisfactory anti-felting result was achieved without causing severe damage to the fiber interiors. In the presence of 0.25 g/L TCEP and 25 U/mL papain, the area shrinkage of wool fabric decreased to approximately 6 %, with a low strength loss of less than 8 %. Meanwhile, the dyeing behavior of the wool fabric under low-temperature conditions was dramatically improved, leading to decreased energy consumption during production. The present work provides an alternative for eco-friendly finishing of wool fabrics, which can be applied commercially.

Rapid aggregation of amyloid-like protein enhanced by mTGase to prepare functional wool fabrics for efficient and sustainable remove heavy metals from wastewater.

To counteract the increasing severity of water pollution and purify water sources, wastewater treatment materials are essential. In particular, it is necessary to improve the bonding strength between the adsorption material and the substrate in a long-term humid environment, and resist the invasion of microorganisms to prolong the service life. In this study, an amyloid-like aggregation method of lysozyme catalyzed by microbial transglutaminase (mTGase). Lysozyme self-assembles into an amyloid-like phase-transited lysozyme (PTL) in the presence of a reducing agent. Simultaneously, mTGase catalyzes acyl transfer reactions within lysozyme molecules or between lysozyme and keratin molecules, and driving PTL assembly on the wool fiber (TG-PTL@wool). This process enhances the grafting amount and fastness of PTL on the wool. Moreover, the tensile strength of wool fabric increased to 523 N. TG-PTL@wool achieves a 97.32 % removal rate of heavy metals, maintaining a removal rate of over 95 % after 5 cycles. TG-PTL@wool has excellent antibacterial property (99 %), and it remains above 90 % after 50 times of circulating washing. This study proved that mTGase can enhance the amyloid aggregation of lysozyme and enhance the bonding strength between PTL coating and substrate. Moreover, TG-PTL@wool provides a sustainable, efficient and cleaner solution for removing heavy metals from water.

Ovine KRT81 Variants and Their Influence on Selected Wool Traits of Commercial Value.

Keratins are the main structural protein components of wool fibres, and variation in them and their genes (KRTs) is thought to influence wool structure and characteristics. The PCR-single strand conformation polymorphism technique has been used previously to investigate genetic variation in selected coding and intron regions of the type II sheep keratin gene KRT81, but no variation was identified. In this study, we used the same technique to explore the 5' untranslated region of KRT81 and detected three sequence variants (A, B and C) that contain four single nucleotide polymorphisms. Among the 389 Merino × Southdown cross sheep investigated, variant B was linked to a reduction in clean fleece weight, while C was associated with an increase in both greasy fleece weight and clean fleece weight. No discernible effects on staple length or mean-fibre-diameter-related traits were observed. These findings suggest that variation in ovine KRT81 might influence wool growth by changing the density of wool follicles in the skin, the density of individual fibres, or the area of the skin producing fibre, as opposed to changing the rate of extrusion of fibres or their diameter.

Genomic Characterization of Quality Wool Traits in Spanish Merino Sheep.

The native Spanish Merino breed was the founder of all the other Merino and Merino-derived breeds worldwide. Despite the fact that this breed was created and improved to produce the highest quality fine wool, the global wool market crisis led to the wholescale crossing of most of the herds with breeds for meat purposes. Nevertheless, there are still some purebred animals with a high potential for producing quality wool. The objective of this study was to characterize the current wool quality of the breed and identify genes associated with these parameters. To achieve this, over 12,800 records from the most representative animals of the breed (registered in the herd book) were analyzed using the Australian OFDA 2000 system, for parameters such as fiber diameter (FD), standard deviation (SD), coefficient of variation (CV), fibers over 15 microns (>15%), staple length (SL), and comfort factor (CRV). Additionally, animals with the most extreme FD values were whole-genome sequenced using NGS. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) determined the association of 74 variants with the different traits studied, which were located in 70 different genes. Of these genes, EDN2, COL18A1, and LRP1B, associated with fibers over 15%, and FGF12 and ADAM17, associated with SL, play a key role in hair follicle growth and development. Our study reveals the great potential for recovering this breed for fine wool production, and identifies five candidate genes whose understanding may aid in that selection process.

Key genes and metabolites that regulate wool fibre diameter identified by combined transcriptome and metabolome analysis.

BACKGROUND: Fibre diameter is an important economic trait of wool fibre. As the fibre diameter decreases, the economic value of wool increases. Therefore, understanding the mechanism of wool fibre diameter regulation is important in improving the value of wool. RESULTS: In this study, we used non-targeted metabolome and reference transcriptome data to detect differences in metabolites and genes in groups of Alpine Merino sheep with different wool fibre diameter gradients, and integrated metabolome and transcriptome data to identify key genes and metabolites that regulate wool fibre diameter. We found 464 differentially abundant metabolites (DAMs) and 901 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in four comparisons of groups with different wool fibre diameters. Approximately 25% of the differentially abundant metabolites were lipid and lipid-like molecules. These molecules were predicted to be associated with skin development and keratin filament by gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional enrichment analyses. Key genes, including COL5A2, COL5A3, CREB3L4, COL1A1, and SFRP4, were identified by gene set enrichment analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Key genes regulating wool fibre diameter were identified, the effects of lipid molecules on wool performance were investigated, and potential synergies between genes and metabolites were postulated, providing a theoretical framework for fine wool sheep breeding.

Suitability of dyes from cinnamon bark on wool fibers using metal and bio-mordants.

Growing concern about the environmental effects of metal mordants and synthetic dyes is encouraging the use of bio-mordants and natural colorants. Cinnamon bark is a rich source of natural colorants such as cinnamaldehyde and tannins. The main purpose of this research was to study and compare the effect of bio-mordants versus metal mordants in terms of colorimetric parameters and color fastness properties of cinnamon bark on wool fibers. Accordingly, some bio-mordants, including date kernel, peppermint, banana peel, and artemisia, as well as some metal mordants like aluminum potassium sulphate and copper sulphate, were studied based on three conventional mordanting methods (pre-, meta-, and post-mordanting). The results indicated that the conjunction of metal mordants and polyphenolic bio-mordants with cinnamon colorants can create different hues and tones of brown. Also, the color produced by cinnamon in wool fibers has poor color fastness and low color strength. Overall, bio-mordants have presented good color properties, making the dyeing process eco-friendly and greener. Among the applied bio-mordants, peppermint has created the best color strength and color fastness.

Molecular insights into Pashmina fiber production: comparative skin transcriptomic analysis of Changthangi goats and sheep.

Ladakh, one of the highest inhabited regions globally, hosts the unique Changthangi goat, renowned for producing Pashmina, the world's most luxurious natural fiber. In comparison, the fiber derived from Changthangi sheep is considered next only to Pashmina. This research endeavors to compare the skin transcriptome profiles of Changthangi goats and Changthangi sheep, aiming to discern the molecular determinants behind the recognition of Changthangi goats as the source of Pashmina. Drawing upon previously conducted studies, a collective of 225 genes correlated with fiber characteristics were extracted from the differentially expressed genes noticed between the two species (p-value of ≤ 0.05 and a log2 fold change of ≥ 1.5). These genes were analyzed using DAVID software to understand their biological functions and to identify enriched KEGG and Reactome pathways. The protein-protein interaction networks were constructed using Cytoscape, cytoHubba, and STRING to focus on key genes and infer their biological significance. Comparative transcriptome analysis revealed significantly higher expression of genes involved in signaling pathways like Wnt, MAPK, PI3K-Akt, Hedgehog, associated with fiber development and quality in Changthangi goats. These pathways play crucial roles in hair follicle (HF) formation, maintenance of epidermal stem cells, and fiber characteristics. Findings also highlight the enrichment of cell adhesion molecules and ECM-receptor interaction, emphasizing their roles in HF structure, growth, and signaling. This investigation offers an in-depth understanding of the molecular intricacies governing Pashmina production in Changthangi goats, providing valuable insights into their unique genetic makeup and underlying mechanisms influencing the exceptional quality of Pashmina fibers.

Synthesis of grafted bromoisobutyryl esterified starch using electron transfer atom transfer radical polymerization method with high-performance adhesion and film properties.

Nowadays, few investigations on the process parameters of grafted starch synthesized using electron transfer atom transfer radical polymerization (ARGET ATRP) and its applications in warp sizing and paper-making are presented. Therefore, this study aimed to survey the appropriate process parameters of bromoisobutyryl esterified starch-g-poly(acrylic acid) (BBES-g-PAA) synthesized by the ARGET ATRP, and also aimed to provide a new biobased BBES-g-PAA adhesive. The appropriate synthesis process parameters were 1.2, 0.32, and 0.6 in the molar ratios of vitamin C, CuBr2, and pentamethyldivinyltriamine to BBES, respectively, at 40 °C for 5 h. The BBES-g-PAA samples with a grafting ratio range of 4.63-14.14 % exhibited bonding forces of 57.8-64.6 N to wool fibers [55.5 N (BBES) and 53.8 N (ATS)], and their films showed breaking elongations of 3.29-3.80 % [2.74 % (BBES) and 2.49 % (ATS)] and tensile strengths of 29.1-25.4 MPa [30.4 MPa (BBES) and 34.7 MPa (ATS)]. Compared with BBES, significantly increased bonding forces and film elongations, and decreased film strengths for the BBES-g-PAA samples with grafting ratios ≥10.54 % were displayed (p < 0.05). The time (100-42 s) taken for the BBES-g-PAA films was significantly shorter than that of ATS (246 s) and BBES (196 s) films (p < 0.05), corresponding to better desizability.

Integration Analysis of Hair Follicle Transcriptome and Proteome Reveals the Mechanisms Regulating Wool Fiber Diameter in Angora Rabbits.

Fiber diameter is an important characteristic that determines the quality and economic value of rabbit wool. This study aimed to investigate the genetic determinants of wool fiber diameter through an integration analysis using transcriptomic and proteomic datasets from hair follicles of coarse and fine wool from Angora rabbits. Using a 4D label-free technique, we identified 423 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in hair follicles of coarse and fine wool in Angora rabbits. Eighteen DEPs were examined using parallel reaction monitoring, which verified the reliability of our proteomic data. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that a set of biological processes and signaling pathways related to wool growth and hair diameter were strongly enriched by DEPs with fold changes greater than two, such as keratinocyte differentiation, skin development, epidermal and epithelial cell differentiation, epidermis and epithelium development, keratinization, and estrogen signaling pathway. Association analysis and protein-protein interaction network analysis further showed that the keratin (KRT) family members, including KRT77, KRT82, KRT72, KRT32, and KRT10, as well as CASP14 and CDSN, might be key factors contributing to differences in fiber diameter. Our results identified DEPs in hair follicles of coarse and fine wool and promoted understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying wool fiber diameter variation among Angora rabbits.

Resource utilization in the sub-sectors of the textile industry: opportunities for sustainability.

It was aimed to determine the specific resource use and reduction potential profiles in various textile sub-sectors (cotton woven fabric dyeing-finishing, wool woven fabric dyeing-finishing, synthetic woven fabric dyeing-finishing, cotton knitted fabric, synthetic knit fabric dyeing-finishing, non-woven fabric, dyeing-finishing of knitted fabric). The main focus was to elucidate opportunities for sustainability in terms of decreasing resource utilization in the textile sector. On-site surveys and detailed data collection studies were carried out at 150 textile facilities. Average specific values for water, auxiliary chemicals, dyestuff, electricity, and steam consumptions, and related reduction potentials were calculated and compared within facilities and sub-sectors. The minimum specific resource consumption values reported in the Best Available Techniques Reference Document (BREF) for the textile industry and data of similar facilities from the literature were evaluated and used. A detailed environmental performance profile of the Turkish textile sector in terms of resource usage and reduction potential was generated. The highest specific water consumption was found in the wool-woven fabric sub-sector (345 ± 262 L/kg product). Although the specific auxiliary chemical consumption shows similarities within sub-sectors, the highest specific auxiliary chemical consumption (397 ± 237 g/kg product) was found in the synthetic woven fabric sub-sector. The sub-sector with the highest specific dyestuff consumption (30 ± 13 g/kg product) was the cotton knitted fabric sub-sector. The wool woven fabric industry had the highest specific electricity (7 ± 5.3 kWh/kg product) and steam (20 ± 11 kg steam/kg product) consumption. In addition, for all the studied sub-sectors country-wide, the lowest and highest reduction potentials in resource uses were 18 ± 15% and 73 ± 13%, respectively, suggesting a need for major full-scale implementations of cleaner production for enhancing sustainability in the textile industry.

Spatiotemporal Expression Characterization of KRTAP6 Family Genes and Its Effect on Wool Traits.

Keratin-related proteins (KAPs) are structural components of wool fibers and are thought to play a key role in regulating the physical and mechanical properties of fibers. Among all KAP genes (KRTAPs), KRTAP6 gene family (KRTAP6-1, KRTAP6-2, KRTAP6-3, KRTAP6-4, and KRTAP6-5) is a very important member with high polymorphism and notable association with some wool traits. In this study, we used real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and in situ hybridization to investigate spatiotemporal expression of KRTAP6s. The results revealed that KRTAP6 family genes were significantly expressed during anagen compared to other stages (p < 0.05). And it was found the five genes were expressed predominantly in the dermal papillae, inner and outer root sheaths, and showed a distinct spatiotemporal expression pattern. Also, it was found that KRTAP6-1 and KRTAP6-5 mRNA expression was negatively correlated with wool mean fiber diameter (MFD) and mean staple strength (MSS) (p < 0.05). In summary, the KRTAP6 family genes share a similar spatiotemporal expression pattern. And KRTAP6-1 and KRTAP6-5 may regulate the MFD and MSS of Gansu Alpine fine-wool sheep wool by changing the expression.

Dissolution behavior of stone wool fibers in synthetic lung fluids: Impact of iron oxidation state changes induced by heat treatment for binder removal.

Stone wool fiber materials are commonly used for thermal and acoustic insulation, horticulture and filler purposes. Biosolubility of the stone wool fiber (SWF) materials accessed through acellular in vitro dissolution tests can potentially be used in future as an indicator of fiber biopersistence in vivo. To correlate acellular in vitro studies with in vivo and epidemiological investigations, not only a robust dissolution procedure is needed, but fundamental understanding of fiber behavior during sample preparation and dissolution is required. We investigated the influence of heat treatment procedure for binder removal on the SWF iron oxidation state as well as on the SWF dissolution behavior in simulant lung fluids (with and without complexing agents). We used heat treatments at 450 °C for 5 min and 590 °C for 1 h. Both procedures resulted in complete binder removal from the SWF. Changes of iron oxidation state were moderate if binder was removed at 450 °C for 5 min, and there were no substantial changes of SWF's dissolution behavior in all investigated fluids after this heat treatment. In contrast, if binder was removed at 590 °C for 1 h, complete Fe(II) oxidation to Fe(III) was observed and significant increase of dissolution was shown in fluids without complexing agent (citrate). PHREEQC solution speciation modeling showed that in this case, released Fe(III) may form ferrihydrite precipitate in the solution. Precipitation of ferrihydrite solid phase leads to removal of iron cations from the solution, thus shifting reaction towards the dissolution products and increasing total mass loss of fiber samples. This effect is not observed for heat treated fibers if citrate is present in the fluid, because Fe(III) binds with citrate and remains mobile in the solution. Therefore, for developing the most accurate SWF in vitro acellular biosolubility test, SWF heat treatment for binder removal is not recommended in combination with dissolution testing in fluids without citrate as a complexing agent.

Fabrication, Structural Characteristics, and Properties of Sericin-Coated Wool Nonwoven Fabrics.

Recently, nonwoven fabrics from natural silk have attracted considerable attention for biomedical and cosmetic applications because of their good mechanical properties and cytocompatibility. Although these fabrics can be easily fabricated using the binding character of sericin, the high cost of silk material may restrict its industrial use in certain areas. In this study, sericin was added as a binder to a cheaper material (wool) to prepare wool-based nonwoven fabrics and investigate the effect of the amount of sericin added on the structural characteristics and properties of the wool nonwoven fabric. It was found using SEM that sericin coated the surface of wool fibers and filled the space between them. With an increase in sericin addition, the porosity, moisture regain, and the contact angle of the sericin-coated wool nonwoven fabric decreased. The maximum stress and initial Young's modulus of the nonwoven fabric increased with the increase in sericin amount up to 32.5%, and decreased with a further increase in the amount of sericin. Elongation at the end steadily decreased with the increase in sericin addition. All of the nonwoven fabrics showed good cytocompatibility, which increased with the amount of sericin added. These results indicate that sericin-coated wool-based nonwoven fabrics may be successfully prepared by adding sericin to wool fibers, and that the properties of these fabrics may be diversely controlled by altering the amount of sericin added, making them promising candidates for biomedical and cosmetic applications.

Modification of wool fibre's structural properties as a cheap adsorbent for the elimination of Cr6+ and Rhodamine6g dye from aqueous solution.

Wool, a naturally occurring biopolymer made up of amino acids, is employed as an adsorbent for both modified and unmodified forms of the dyes rhodamine6G (R6G) and Cr6+. The two-step procedure of (i) ring opening polymerization (ROP) and (ii) condensation reaction was used to modify the structure of wool fibre. Both the ROP and the condensation provide steric free chain expanding groups as well as adsorption-improving groups. The FT-IR spectrum, which showed peaks about 1725 and 1630 cm-1 corresponding to the CO and CN stretchings, respectively, confirmed the structural modification. By detecting a slight hump at 8.5 ppm, 1H NMR was able to validate the later functional group. DSC, TGA, FE-SEM, EDX, and water contact angle (WCA) were also used to characterize it. With the aid of a UV-visible spectrophotometer, the quantitative adsorption of both Cr6+ and R6G by modified and unmodified Wool fibre was monitored. For the adsorption of Cr6+ and R6G, the pseudo first order and pseudo second order kinetics were used. The multilayer coating of adsorbate onto adsorbent was confirmed by the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Thermodynamic parameters were calculated and compared to values found in the literature.