Improvements in or relating to treating wool
As an aid to felting, wool is treated with a beta-lactone in the presence of sufficient water to saturate the fibres, the lactone being present in an amount sufficient to provide a pick-up of at least 10 per cent, based on the weight of the untreated wool. The lactone, which is preferably a water-soluble lactone having from 3 to 6 carbon atoms, may be of the general formula C(R)2C(R)2COO, where R is hydrogen or an aliphatic hydrocarbon radical. Beta-propiolactone is mentioned. The lactone may be applied to the wool in aqueous admixture by immersion or spraying or the wool may be saturated with water and subsequently treated with the lactone. The lactone or aqueous-lactone admixture may be applied at temperatures from 0 DEG C. to 100 DEG C. and, if applied at temperatures below 60 DEG C., the wool is given a short heat treatment at 80 DEG C. to 100 DEG C. In examples, carded batts are treated and are subsequently steamed, felted on each side, fulled with sulphuric acid, neutralized with ammonia, rinsed and dried. Reclaimed and re-used wool stocks may be treated. U.S.A. Specification 2,517,573 is referred to.