Set/Supercontraction Characteristics of Keratin Fibers 1

Abstract

Set/supercontraction characteristics of different types of fibers reveal that some keratin fibers set and supercontract more rapidly than others. The fibers which set readily are, however, not those which supercontract the most. The “transition time,” the setting time after which the released fiber neither supercontracts nor sets, also varies from fiber to fiber. It appears that variations in the ability of keratin fibers from different sources to set are associated with their chemical compositions, especially in the cortical regions, as indicated by solubility characteristics, and these variations are not simply related to the diameter of the fiber or to any histological variations. The effect of setting temperature and the influence of the extent of deformation on the set obtained in water are also reported and explained in terms of a slightly modified version of the existing Feughelman series-zone model.

Keywords

Supercontraction Permanent Set Keratin Fibers Human Hair Lincoln Wool Mohair Romney Marsh Wool Merino Wool Alpaca Chemical Composition Chemical Bonds Solubility Setting Time Temperature Deformation Fine Structure (Fibers)Imbibition

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