Harold P. Lundgren

Synthetic Protein Fibers from Protein-Detergent Complexes:

or phosphates, and with methods by which such agents, commonly referred to as detergents, make it possible to manipulate various types of proteins into fibrous forms. The detergents can then be recovered following such manipulation, leaving the regenerated protein in the oriented fibrous state [1, 2]. First, however, we shall consider the reasons for seeking to make fibers from proteins. First of all, the common natural protein fibers have desirable characteristics. VVe find in wool, silk, and hair such properties as warmth, durability, resilience, and high affinity for dyes. It is probable that synthetic protein fibers can be made that have similar desirable characteristics and possibly others not found in the natural fibers. Also, as with cellulose, there is the possibility of developing methods for reconstruction of the natural protein fibers into fibers having new and specialized uses. Another reason why we seek to make fibers from proteins is the abundance of available raw materials. A few are wastes; some have little value; others have moderate or high value. Many of the more common proteins, such as casein, soybean protein, zein, wheat gluten, cottonseed protein, peanut protein, alfalfa protein, chicken feathers, and technical egg white, are being investigated as possible raw materials for synthetic fibers.

Modification of Wool with Beta-Propiolactone: Part I: The Chemistry of the Reaction

1. Frey-Wyssling, A., Pyotoplasma 27, 563 (1937). 2. Hermans, P. H., Contributions to the Physics of Cellulose Fibres, London, Elsevier Publishing Co., 1946. 3. Hermans, P. H., Kratky, O., and Platzek, P., Kolloid-Z. 86, 245 (1939). 4. Hermans, P. H., and Weidinger, A., J. Applied Phys. 19, 491-506 (1948). 5. Illingworth, J. W., Textile Recorder 63, 50, 54 (1946). 6. Ingersoll, H. G., J. Applied Phys. 17, 924-39 (1946). 7. Kondo, T., Z. wiss. Phot. 31, 185 (1932). 8. Morey, D. R., TEXTILE RESEARCH 4, 491-512 (1934). 9. Morey, D. R., TEXTILE RESEARCH 5, 105-9 (1934). 10. Morton, T. H., J. Soc. Dyers Colourists 62, 272-80 (1946). 11. Neubert, H., Kolloidchem. Beihefte 20, 244 (1925). 12. Nikitine, S., Ann. phys. (11) 15, 276 (1941). 13. Preston, J. M., J. Soc. Dyers Colourists 47, 312-19 (1931). 14. Preston, J. M., Jackson, J. H. E., and Nimkar, H. V., J. Soc. Dyers Colourists 65, 483-5 (1949). 15. Preston, J. M., and Su, Y. F., J. Soc. Dyers Colourists 66, 357-61 (1950). 16. Preston, J. M., and Tsien, P. C., J. Soc. Dyers Colourists 62, 368-72 (1946). 17. Preston, J. M., and Tsien, P. C., J. Soc. Dyers Colourists 66, 361-5 (1950). 18. Sisson, W. A., and Clark, G. L., Ind. Eng. Chem. 5, 296-300 (1933). 19. Tsien, P. C., TEXTILE RESEARCH JOURNAL 19, 330-41, 416-20 (1949). 20. Wiley, P. R., Am. Dyestuff Reptr. 33, 95-8, 110-16 (1944). 21. Ziegenspeck, H., Kolloid-Z. 97, 201 (1941).

A New Method for Raw-Wool Scouring and Grease Recovery

mate wearing quality. Raw wool is contaminated with 40% to 70% of extraneous matter, of which 5% to 20% is suint, 10% to 40% is &dquo;grease&dquo; (more correctly, wax), and the remainder is sand, dirt, vegetable matter, urine, and fecal matter. The primary objective in scouring is the removal of these impurities, leaving a white, nonfelted, ash-free product that contains around 0.5 % of residual grease. Wool suint is generally regarded as water-extractable material, presumably secreted by the sweat glands of the animal. It consists, in part, of a mixture of potassium soaps of fatty acids, ranging from valeric to palmitic acids [6]. In addition, suint contains minor amounts of lactic, hippuric, and succinic acids, urea, and lanaurin, a bile pigment derivative which imparts the reddish-brown color to an aqueous solution of suint [23]. -

Polymerization of beta-Propiolactone in Wool:

The reaction of propiolactone with wool has been studied with the purpose of increasing the rate of reaction within the fiber, while still retaining the enhanced felting qualities of the modi fied wool. It was found that the presence of water in low concentration, added either to the wool or to the propiolactone in carbon tetrachloride, greatly accelerated this reaction. Excess water reduced the reaction, presumably because of lactone hydrolysis. Addition of water to the system also accelerated the reaction when ethyl, n-amyl, oleyl, or dodecyl alcohol was used as solvent, but not when methyl alcohol was thus employed. Significantly, the maximum rate of modification in a mixture of water and amyl, oleyl, or dodecyl alcohol was 30% greater than the maximum with water and carbon tetrachloride. Propiolactone reacts slowly with wool in methyl or ethyl alcohol in the absence of water, but with the higher alcohols, as with carbon tetrachloride, little or no reaction occurs unless water or methyl alcohol is present. The influence of water and the lower alcohols in promoting interaction of propiolactone within the fiber appears to be the result primarily of swelling of the fiber structure to permit pene tration by the propiolactone. In the presence of water the higher alcohols, amyl and dodecyl, can penetrate to cause further swelling and increase in the rate of modification within the fiber.

Highlights of Papers on Physical and Protein Chemistry

MY purpose here is to review very briefly some highlights of papers presented on the subject of physical and protein chemistry of wool before the International Wool Textile Research Conference held in Australia in August and September, 1955. The principal aim of research on physical and protein chemistry of wool is to obtain more complete understanding of the fiber-how it is constructed and how it behaves

Treatment of Wool Scouring Wastes with Colloidal Bentonite

Results are presented of a laboratory-scale study to determine the effectiveness of various coagulants as supplementary additives in the conventional acid cracking of wool scouring wastes. It was observed that a dispersible-type bentonite produces a marked improvement in the extent of clarification of the waste effluent. In brief, the treatment involves first acidifying the scouring wastes with sulfuric acid to a pH level between 3 and 4 and then adding the required amount of bentonite as an aqueous dispersion. The amount of bentonite required depends upon the grease and suint content of the waste. A bentonite concentration of between 0.1 and 0.5% is generally sufficient. As an ex ample, treatment of a standard waste with acid and bentonite removed as much as 96% of the grease, compared with removal of 67% with acid alone. The chemical oxygen demand was reduced by approximately 60% by the combination treatment, compared with 33% reduction with acid alone.