Cohesive Setting of Wool in Air: Effect of Mechanical De-ageing

Abstract

Wool fibers that have been de-aged by water, heat, or tensile strain are shown to - cohesively set in bending more readily than aged fibers. By imposing strains of up to 25%, mechanical de-ageing of wool fibers leads to a temporary reduction in tensile modulus and yield stress, some cohesive linear set, and an increased ability to be cohesively set in bending. The extent to which the wool can be cohesively set in bending is a function of the level of de-ageing strain, the time of setting in the deformed shape, and the conditioning time prior to setting.