Hair-On-Hair Static Friction Coefficient Can Be Determined by Tying a Knot

January 2017

Nicolas R. Chevalier

hair fibers self-friction coefficient elastic fibers sodium hydroxide hair care treatments hair friction NaOH hair treatments

TLDR Treating hair with 1M sodium hydroxide increases its friction, making it better for small medical knots.

The study validated an equation for determining the self-friction coefficient of elastic fibers using a relaxed overhand knot, initially derived by Audoly et al. This method was experimentally tested with nylon thread and applied to single hair fibers to assess the impact of hair care treatments on frictional properties. It was found that treating hair with 1M sodium hydroxide significantly increased the self-friction coefficient, making the fibers suitable for forming small knots in medical applications. The methodology could be used to measure the self-friction coefficients of various elastic fibers across different scales.

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research Hair-On-Hair Static Friction Coefficient Can Be Determined by Tying a Knot

5 citations, September 2017 in “Colloids and surfaces. B, Biointerfaces”

Tying a knot can measure hair friction, useful for medical applications.