The identification of structural changes in the keratin of wool fibre dyedwith an azo dye using the Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy methods

Ecological requirements that the textile industry has to meet obliges manuf acturers to use ecological dyes in the process of fibre dyeing. These do no t split into the forbidden aromatic amines (e.g, benzidine) during use. Fou rier transform infrared (FT-IR) and Fourier transform raman spectroscopies are useful techniques for the analysis of structural changes in wool fibre on molecular and supermolecular levels. Wool was dyed with an azo dye, then underwent a chemical reaction. Changes were observed in the region of Amides I and II and the fingerprint region ( for FT-IR). For FT-Raman Spectroscopy, changes were observed in the region of S-S bonds , tyrosine and methionine regions and the fingerprint region (1100-900 cm(- 1)). The percentage of share of particular conformational forms of keratin (cr-helix, disordered, beta -sheet) was observed. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.