Abstract
The Donnan theory for membrane equilibria has been applied to the distribution data of sodium and chloride ions on untreated and treated wools in the neutral region of pH. The polyelectrolyte theory of Mathieson and Whewell has been applied to the data on acid-combining capacity of modified wools. It is observed that, whereas both the hydrogen and sodium ions are adsorbed onto specific sites in the modified substrate after periodic acid oxidations, chlorine ions are re pelled increasingly as the degree of oxidation is increased. After a certain optimum limit of oxidation, the intrinsic dissoci ation constant pKe of carboxylic acid groups is suppressed to such an extent that sodium ions become dominant in the inter nal fiber phase. At this stage, periodic acid-treated fibers, which otherwise manifested impaired set/supercontraction, exhibit an improved ability to either supercontract or to acquire set.
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