Part IV: Industrial Carbonizing Trials to Assess the Protection of Wool by Surface Active Agents Added to the Acid

Abstract

In a series of trials in four carbonizing mills, the addition of a nonionic surface active agent to the sulfuric acid bowl resulted, in each experiment, in an increased yield of car bonized wool and, on spinning, increased yarn strength. In a similar trial with combing wool, the addition of nonionic surface active agent to the acid used for carbonizing re sulted in improved gilling and combing. The amount of acid taken up by the wool was increased by this addition, whereas the water content was decreased; this facilitated dry ing of the acidified wool.