CHEMICALLY ASSISTED PROTEIN ANNEALING TREATMENT

摘要

A method for treating proteinaceous materials that contain disulfide or polysulfide bonds to improve their performance at high relative humidity and when wet. The method comprises annealing the fabric at a temperature in the range of from 70 DEG C to 160 DEG C at a regain of between 10 % and 25 % for a period greater than about 10 minutes wherein the fabric is annealed in the presence of a gas wich enhances the disulfide interchange reaction. A further embodiment of the invention comprises annealing the fabric at a temperature in the range of from 70 DEG C to 160 DEG C to a regain of between 10 % and 25 % for a period greater than 10 minutes wherein the fabric has at least in part been treated with a liquid which enhances the disulfide interchange reaction. The present method is particularly applicable to keratinous materials such as for example wool, wool with reduced crystallinity, mohair, regenerated protein, or mixtures thereof.