Preparation and characterization of lanolin-based condensate and its utilization as a nonionic softener for wool fabric surface

Abstract

Two forms of pollutants are usually discharged from scouring of wool fleece; namely, the effluent liquid phase and the solid phase. These phases comprise a significant quantity of wool wax which, if properly purified, would be a suitable candidate for valuable products and applications in textile and non-textile fields. This work is devoted to extraction, recovery, and characterization of lanolin from coarse wool fleece to assign possible ways for its utilization in the textile field. A comparison between the amounts and properties of wool wax extracted from different wool breeds was performed at different reaction conditions. The results show that the amount of wool wax extracted from coarse wool fleece is almost half of that extracted from finer grades like merino wool fleece. The chemical composition and the physical properties of the purified wool wax (lanolin) extracted from coarse wool fleece is almost similar to that extracted from other wool breeds. The aim of this work is further devoted to separation and characterization of fatty acids (FAs) from the extracted lanolin. The separated wool fatty acids (WFAs) were esterified with polyethylene glycol (PEG) to obtain a condensate which was used as a nonionic softener for wool. The alteration in structure and morphology of the coated wool fabric was assessed using scanning electron microscopy. The results revealed that the WFA/PEG-coated fabrics exhibit lower surface roughness and improved resistance to felting shrinkage during mechanical agitation.