Abstract
ASTBURY and Woods1 have suggested that the action of steam in imparting a permanent set to strained fibres takes place in two stages—a primary breakdown of linkages between the long peptide chains, followed by the rebuilding of new linkages. Breakdown of side linkages is recognised from the fact that fibres steamed for 2 minutes at 50 per cent extension are then able to contract in steam to a length one-third less than the original. Super-contraction of this type may be produced in several ways2, but all methods appear to involve the sulphur linkage in wool. For example, fibres immersed in 0.0325 N sodium sulphide solution contract 6 per cent in about 60 minutes2, in spite of the pronounced increase in length which is the ultimate result of attack by sodium sulphide. Secondly, silver sulphate solution is known3 to react with cystine according to the equation: 3 RSSR + 3H2O = RSO3H + 5RSH; fibres boiled with saturated silver sulphate solution contract 28 per cent in 5 hours. In addition, sodium sulphite reacts with cystine as follows4: RSSR + Na2SO3 = RSNa + RSSO3Na. Similarly, fibres boiled with 5 per cent sodium bisulphite solution contract 24 per cent in 30 minutes.
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References
Astbury and Woods, Phil Trans. (in the press). H. J. Woods, NATURE. 132, 709, Nov. 24, 1933.
Speakman, NATURE, 124, 948, Dec. 21, 1929. J. Soc. Chem. Ind. 50, 1 T, 1931.
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Cf. Marriott, J. Soc. Leather Trade's Chemists. 12, 347; 1928.
Speakman, J.Soc. Leather Trade's Chemists, 1933. Conference on the Swelling of Proteins, J. Soc. Dyers and Colourists, 49, 180; 1933.
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SPEAKMAN, J. Reactivity of the Sulphur Linkage in Wool. Nature 132, 930 (1933). https://doi.org/10.1038/132930a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/132930a0
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