Delipidisation of wool fibres and the subsequent beneficial properties of delipidised wool fibres

The study presents a novel method for delipidising wool fibers using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and hydrogen peroxide, which effectively removes over 97.2% of 18-methyleicosanoic acid (18-MEA) and other lipids, enhancing wool's properties without the environmental drawbacks of traditional chlorination. This process results in brighter wool, improved dyeing efficiency, and superior ink-jet printing quality, with nearly 100% dye exhaustion at lower temperatures. The delipidised wool also shows potential for additional treatments like shrink resistance and antimicrobial effects, making it a promising alternative for more efficient and environmentally friendly textile processing.