CZ2013415A3 - Method of increasing felting property of animal fibers, especially of wool or hair - Google Patents

Abstract

There is described a method for increasing the felting of animal fibers, in particular wool or fur for textile use, in which the surface layer of the animal fibers is disrupted, thereby increasing the surface texture of the animal fibers. The surface layer of the animal fibers is disrupted by the action of at least one protease enzyme. The enzyme or enzyme mixture is applied in an amount of 1 to 60 mg per 100 g of animal fibers.

Description

Technical field

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for increasing the felting of animal fibers, in particular X wool or fur for textile use, in which the surface layer of animal fibers is disrupted, thereby increasing their surface texture.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Animal fibers, such as wool or fur, due to their scaly surface have the ability to lock together under appropriate conditions (temperature, humidity, etc.) and under the action of suitable chemical agents to form a nonwoven fabric - felt. For industrial use, this ability - felting - is further increased by chemical damage to their surface and increasing its articulation. To this end; the animal fibers are presently soaked in a strongly acidic bath containing, for example, mineral acids and / or oxidants. However, these treatments are technologically demanding, since they not only have a high consumption of aggressive chemicals but also energy, since the animal fibers have to be heated up to a temperature close to the boiling point of water. The subsequent washing of the treated animal fibers then produces a large amount of toxic wastewater which requires special treatment and recycling. For example, it is known from Czechoslovak patent 20779 to use a solution of formaldehyde acidified with sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, and the like; GB 498-410 using a pickling solution containing nitric acid, cerium nitrate and optionally hydrogen peroxide, and GB 323-4364 using a solution of hydrofluoric acid or hexafluorosilicic acid or salts thereof.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and to propose a method for enhancing the felting of animal fibers, especially wool and fur, which is both ecologically and economically advantageous.

PŠ3897dŽ *

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is achieved by a method of increasing the felting of animal fibers, in particular wool or fur for textile use, in which the surface layer of animal fibers is disrupted, thereby increasing their surface ruggedness in that the surface layer of animal fibers is disrupted by at least an enzyme from the group of proteases which disrupts the structure of proteins on the surface of fibers by enzymatic action. Since the enzymes usable are of animal or microbial origin, they do not represent substances that are aggressive to the environment and require expensive handling and recycling. The same applies to their decomposition products. The enzyme or enzyme mixture is applied in an amount of 1 to 60 mg per 100 g of animal fibers. A further advantage of this process is further that it is sufficient to heat the animal fibers with the applied enzyme (s) for the desired enzymatic reaction. Maintain temperature up to 32 O.

A suitable enzyme is, for example, a protease from the group of bromelin, papain, trypsin, chymotrypsin, a protease produced by a fungus of the strain Aspergillus Saitoi, or a mixture of at least two of them.

The action of the enzyme (s) on the animal fibers is preferably at a temperature of 23 to 32 Ό in an environment with a pH of 6.9 to 7.5.

This enzyme or enzyme mixture is then applied to the animal fibers in the form of an aqueous solution. When using a protease produced by an Aspergillus Saitoi strain, the fungus is either applied directly to the animal fibers, producing the protease directly on the animal fibers, or kept separate therefrom, and only the produced prosthesis or its aqueous solution is fed to the fibers.

After achieving the desired effect, respectively. The degree of increase in felting is further removed by the enzyme (s) and / or its enzymatic action products from animal fibers by rinsing these fibers with phosphate buffer followed by distilled water.

According to the nature of animal fibers and the method of application of the enzyme, respectively. 1 to 60 mg of enzyme, respectively. mixtures of enzymes per 100

PŠ3897ČZ g animal fibers. For most animal fibers, 5 to 50 mg of enzyme, respectively, is sufficient. enzyme mixtures per 100 g of animal fibers.

In the method of increasing the felting of animal fibers, in particular wool and fur, according to the invention, the surface of the animal fibers is disrupted by the action of a suitable enzyme or a mixture of several suitable enzymes which disrupts the structure of proteins on the fiber surface by enzymatic action. interlocking and its strength. A suitable enzyme is in particular an enzyme from the group of proteases, which may be of animal origin, such as bromelin, papain, trypsin, chymotrypsin, or of microbial origin, such as a protease produced by Aspergillus Saitoi (sometimes referred to as aspergillopeptidase A) and the like, optionally a mixture of at least two such enzymes.

The enzyme or mixture of enzymes is preferably applied to the free animal fibers or skin, depending on the nature of the animal fibers and the method of application of the enzyme, respectively. enzyme mixtures, in an amount of 1 to 60 mg per 100 g of animal fibers, preferably 5 to 50 mg per 100 g of animal fibers, for example in the form of a pre-prepared aqueous solution, for example by spraying, painting, immersion or other suitable means or a combination thereof. In this case, it is advantageous if the animal fibers are maintained under conditions which ensure optimal action of the enzyme during application and / or for a certain period of time thereafter. In the case of proteases, the temperature is in the range of about 23 ° F to 32 Ό degrees and the pH in the range of 6.9 to 7.5. The highest efficiency of the enzymatic reaction is obtained at a temperature of 27 Ό and a pH of 7.2. For example, a phosphate buffer or other suitable reagent may be added to the enzyme solution or enzyme mixture to achieve a suitable pH.

After the time required to achieve the desired level of enzymatic action, which is mainly dependent on the amount of applied enzyme, method of its application and distribution and character of animal fibers / moves usually in the interval of 1 to 15 minutes, animal fibers with applied enzyme or enzyme mixture are dried (removed from them)

} (A significant amount of water applied with the enzyme). If desired, the enzyme or enzyme mixture and / or the enzymatic products of animal fibers are then further removed by washing or washing. rinsing with phosphate buffer followed by distilled water.

The animal fibers treated in this way achieve comparable felting as the animal fibers prepared by the methods used so far, but without the use of aggressive chemicals and produced toxic large amounts of waste water. Another advantage is that the enzymatic reaction, respectively. Depending on the type of enzyme used, the disruption of the protein structure on the fiber surface is most effective at a relatively low temperature of up to about 32 W, so that the energy requirements are considerably lower compared to the present methods.

In addition to the above-described routes of administration, the enzyme or the enzyme can be used. a mixture of enzymes to obtain, respectively. in an aqueous solution for application to animal fibers, as a metabolic product of suitable microorganisms, e.g., fungi of strain Aspergillus Saitoi, etc. In such a case, either these microorganisms are either brought directly into contact with the animal fibers or kept separately from them and animal only the enzyme they produce, respectively, is fed to the fibers. enzymes.

Claims (7)

PATENT CLAIMS PV 2013-415 3.6.2013 9 t »« 5 » J i Λ -, 4i ”P · Ps589? Tz_i 24.10.2013 CLAIMS 1. A method of increasing the felting of animal fibers, in particular wool or fur for textile use, by increasing their surface texture. by destroying their surface layer, characterized in that the animal is treated with at least one protease enzyme in an amount of 1 to 60 mg per 100 g of animal fibers. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the enzyme is a protease selected from the group of bromelin, papain, trypsin, chymotrypsin, a protease produced by a fungus of the strain Aspergillus Saitoi, or a mixture of at least two of them. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the enzymatic action on the animal fibers takes place at a temperature of 23 to 32 Ό in a medium with a pH of 6.9 to 7.5. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the enzyme is applied to the animal fibers in the form of an aqueous solution. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fungal strain of Aspergillus Saitoi is applied to the animal fibers and subsequently cultivated to release the protease. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that after the desired disruption of the surface of the animal fibers has been achieved, the enzyme or enzyme mixture and / or its enzymatic products are removed from the animal fibers by rinsing with phosphate buffer followed by distilled water. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the enzyme or enzyme mixture is applied in an amount of 5 to 50 mg per 100 g of animal fibers.