not available

The 6 inherent fiber properties, tensile strength, fiber length, fiber thickness, contour (major-minor axis), crimp length to depth ratio, and crimp depth were responsible for 31 % of the variations in the compressional-bulk resilience of wool. In the case of maximum load or stiffness, these same 6 inherent fiber properties were responsible for 85% of the variations. In both cases, the most important inherent property was tensile strength. It accounted for 17% of the variations in the compressional-bulk resilience of wool and for 66% of the variations for maximum load or stiffness. Fiber thickness was the least important while the other inherent factors were intermediate, with contour and crimp affecting resilience and fiber length and crimp affecting maximum load or stiffness.Compressional-bulk resilience has a very narrow range of figures in the three wool types studied, while maximum load has over 4 times the range obtained for resilience. Resilience varies within wool types and is lowest in the fine wools and highest in the medium wools, with long wools intermediate. Stiffness or maximum load is highest in fine wools, lowest in long wools, and intermediate in the medium wools. Only 31 % of the variation in compressional bulk resilience of wool can be accounted for by the variation in the 6 fiber characteristics measured.1. Temperature.

Wool samples taken from sheep supplemented with dietary selenium were compared with wool from unsupplemented sheep. Fibers from the selenium-treated sheep contracted less (P <.01) in both length and diameter than those from the controls when treated in 50 per cent LiBr solution at 100 °C. for 3 hours. Probably the molecular structure of the selenium-treated fibers was modified by the formation of new (possibly selenium containing) cross-linkages between the peptide chains. The mechanical properties of the selenium wool fibers tested, i.e., dry tenacity, extension at break, and work required to break individual fibers, were not affected when compared with the controls.

No abstract