Abstract
Wool samples were treated by potassium tert-Butoxide(t-BuOK) in anhydrous tert-butanol to remove the bound surface lipid-layer, and the weight loss behaviors in protease solution and dyeabilities of the samples were studies. The C/N ratio of the surface of the t-BuOK-treated wool was shown to be 4.3 from XPS analysis. From SEM pictures any remarkable change in the shape of surface curticle during the proteasw treatment was not observed regardless of prior t-BuOK treatment. Dyeing rate and equilibrium adsorption of Orange II, a typical levelling type acid dye, on wool were not changed by protease or t-BuOK treatment, but those of Milling Cyanine 5R, a typical milling type acid dye, on wool were greatly enhanced by t-BuOK treatment in spite that, from alkali and urea-bisulfite solubilities, no damage on the inner part of wool fiber was expected by t-BuOK treatment.
