Article: Shrink-resistant wool.

Danish inventors have proposed an enzymatic treatment that makes wool shrink-resistant.

In US Patent 6 258 129, Novozymes A/S of Bagsvaerd says its objective is to reduce the shrinkage of wool, as measured by IWS test 31, to less than 2% (or an area shrinkage of less than 5%) after two cycles of ISO 5A.

The Patent proposes treating the wool, effectively in any form, with a low-temperature plasma of air, oxygen, nitrogen, ammonia, helium or argon; usually, air will be preferred. The gas should be at a pressure of about 0.1-5 torr and the treatment may vary from 2-300 s, but will usually be 5-30 s.

In the presence of a non-ionic wetting agent, ...

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