Compositional Studies of High-and Low-Crimp Wools

Abstract

Merino wools with high staple crimp frequency contained 20% more cystine than poorly crimped wools of the same strain. These differences were reflected in both the quantity and composition of those components of the high-sulphur fraction of wool keratin that are richest in sulphur. It was found that this greater concentration of disulphide cross-linkages in high-crimp wools was associated with a marked reduction in swelling and supercontraction but has no effect on the stress of single fibres at 30% extension in water.