TIME-OF-FLIGHT SECONDARY-ION-MASS SPECTROMETRIC (TOF-SIMS) AND X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPIC (XPS) ANALYSES OF THE SURFACE-LIPIDS OF WOOL

ToF-SIMS studies of wool show the presence of lipid material at the su rface epicuticle layer. The major lipid component is a C-21-fatty acid linked to the wool protein via a thioester linkage. This C-21-fatty-a cid species is sensitive to chemical attack and is removed/modified by aqueous chlorination and plasma treatment but is relatively unaffecte d by permonosulphuric acid (PMS)/sulphite treatment, XPS confirms that less sulphur oxidation occurs with PMS/sulphite treatment than with a queous chlorination.