Alkaline Degradation of Wool Keratin

1. Alkaline degradation of wool keratin by 0.02 to 0.25 N sodium hydroxide in 10 hours at 25°, 40°, and 55° C. has been followed by weight, nitrogen, sulfur, and wet breaking strength of the residual wool.

2. Weight of wool has been shown to deerease with increasing temperature and almost lincarly with increasing concentration of alkali.

3. Nitrogen, sulfur, and the ratio of sulfur to nitrogen in wool have been shown logarithmic functions, y = axB, of the concentration of alkali and to decrease with increasing temperature.

4. Ratio of dissolved to residual sulfur of wool kcratin has been shown greater the greater the temperature or concentration of alkali.

5. Rcsidual wool from alkaline degradation has been shown to decrease in sulfur and to increase slowly in nitrogen with increasing concentration of alkali.