WOOL TREATMENTS WITH MIXTURES OF SULFITE AND AMPHIPHILIC CATIONIC PROTEIN HYDROLYSATE

Derivatives of collagen and keratin hydrolysates are frequently used t o improve the cuticular surface of human hair, mainly when an oxidativ e or reductive treatment is involved. In this paper, a similar reducti ve treatment applied to wool in the presence of an amphiphilic cationi c protein hydrolysate leading to a considerable reduction in shrinkage with no significant change in physico-chemical properties, is reporte d. The influence of the experimental treatment conditions on the effec tiveness of the process by evaluation of different parameters such as shrink-resistance, wetting time, cysteine formation, subjective handle assessment, mechanical properties and dyeing behaviour at low tempera tures is studied and discussed.