Method for the Complete Removal of Cuticle from Wool Fibers

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Abstract
It is shown by scanning electron microscopy that cuticle cells can be removed virtually completely from wool fibers with minimal removal of cortical cells by refluxing in formic acid for 20 min, followed by shaking for 16 hr in formic acid at room temperature. Control fibers with cuticle retained are produced by a similar treatment, but without agitation. The descaled fibers show a large increase in the amount of water sorbed at saturation as compared with the control. Descaled fibers of this type may serve as useful models in attemps to elucidate the relative contributions of cuticle and cortex to the overall properties of wool fibers.