Compositional studies of high- and low-crimp wools

Abstract

Merino wools with high staple crimp frequency contained 20% more cystine than poorly crimped wools of the same strain. These differences were reflected in both the quantity and composition of those components of the high-sulphur fraction of wool keratin that are richest in sulphur. It was found that this greater concentration of disulphide cross-linkages in high-crimp wools was associated with a marked reduction in swelling and supercontraction but has no effect on the stress of single fibres at 30% extension in water.Under special dietary conditions, sheep may produce wool which does not exhibit or fit into this relation between crimp and sulphur content; furthermore, wools without bilateral structure and the accompanying differences in composition between cortices may still show considerable crimp. For these reasons it was concluded that the relation between crimp and cystine content is not one of cause and effect but is the consequence of growth in particular types of follicles. © 1972 CSIRO.