An alkaline protease was applied on wool knitted fabric in an attempt to improve its shrink resistance. The influence of process parameters was evaluated and the tensile properties, surface characteristics and whiteness of wool were also studied. The results showed that the action of the protease on wool was significantly enhanced by hydrogen peroxide pretreatment. Based on the preliminary test and subsequent factor analysis, an appropriate combined process was obtained. The SEM investigation of the surface characteristics demonstrated that the enzymatic action was not uniform. In addition to the antifelting effects, the enzymatic treatment could lead to an improved degree of whiteness.
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