The Application of Radiochemical Techniques to the Study of the Interaction of Hair Fibers with Aqueous Solutions

The study used radiochemical techniques to explore how hair fibers interact with various aqueous solutions, such as NaBr, NaCl, and acid dye baths. Hair absorbed significant amounts of NaBr, with uptake influenced by the solution's pH. At pH 2.4, acid uptake inhibited salt absorption, while at pH 11.2, both base and salt were absorbed. The absorption of NaCl and HBr did not strictly follow Fick's Law, indicating complex mechanisms. In dye baths, dye ions replaced bromide ions in the fiber, and hydrogen ions were absorbed in excess despite higher sodium ion concentrations. These results underscore the amphoteric nature of keratin and specific absorption behaviors of hair fibers.