Kurashiki Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha

Akinori Takagi

Kunihiro Ohshima

Susumu Katsuen

Disclosed is a method for producing a modified animal fiber, the method includes step 1 () of pre-oxidizing a cystine bond (&#x2014;S&#x2014;S&#x2014; bond) present in an epidermal cell of an animal fiber to bring the cystine bond into a low oxidation state, step 2 () of oxidizing with ozone the pre-oxidized &#x2014;S&#x2014;S&#x2014; bond to bring the &#x2014;S&#x2014;S&#x2014; bond into at least one high oxidation state selected from di-, tri-, and tetra-oxidation states, and step 3 () of reductively cleaving the &#x2014;S&#x2014;S&#x2014; bond in a high oxidation state. The method imparts shrink resistance and pilling resistance to an animal fiber. In the step 2 () ozone is microdispersed in an aqueous solution comprising an anionic surfactant having a Calkyl group, and the animal fiber is contacted with the ozone. Accordingly, the present invention provides a method for efficiently producing in a short period of time an animal fiber having excellent shrink resistance that barely undergoes felting when washed in an aqueous system in shrink proofing an animal fiber using ozone.

Growing community of inventors

Osaka, Japan

Akinori Takagi