About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2027 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Natural Fibers and Biocomposites
|
| Presentation Title |
Cuticle Modification of Merino Wool and its Multiscale Impact on Interfacial and Mechanical Properties |
| Author(s) |
Cecile Chazot, C. Czibula, A. Scheer, B. Hrala, R. Bleher, D. S. Silverstein, Vinayak P. Dravid, K. K. Koski |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Cecile Chazot |
| Abstract Scope |
The sub-micrometer cuticle of keratin fibers is a layered interface, yet how modifying it reshapes the fiber across scales is unknown. Building on our previous multiscale survey of wool across sheep breeds, we compare Superwash (SW) finishing, based on chlorine-Hercosett, with time-resolved 8 M LiBr treatment of Merino wool using electron microscopy, surface analysis, Raman, and Brillouin spectroscopy. Both treatments lowered probe-accessible specific surface area while increasing surface energy, showing that accessibility and interaction strength evolve independently. SW oxidized sulfur and coated the surface, with little mechanical change, whereas LiBr followed a sequence of 18-MEA/epicuticle loss, sulfur-rich A-layer exposure, and erosion. LiBr increased α-helical Raman contributions and axial stiffness by Brillouin spectroscopy, while disulfide conformations stayed stable. The late-stage divergence of surface-energy and Brillouin trends shows that interfacial chemistry and mechanics respond at different scales. Linking cuticle exposure to interfacial behavior and directional mechanics informs shrink-resistant finishing and selective keratin recovery. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |