Abstract:

A novel keratinase from Bacillus subtilis and protease were used to treat wool in one-bath method, and the change in felting shrinkage, weight loss, strength, wettability, and fibre diameter of the treated wool fabric was tested, along with polypeptide release rate in the hydrolyte solution of enzyme-treated wool and keratin of wool. Combining with wool bromine Allwörden phenomenon, SEM was use to investigate the degradation effect of protein, wool anti-felting property and the removal of wool scales affected by synergistic effect of the two enzymes. Compared with specimens only treated by keratinase or protease, the felting shrinkage of wool fabric treated by keratinase and protease in one-bath dropped significantly, and reached machine washable requirements, but the fabric weight loss was larger, strength reduced, and fibre diameter decreased. UV spectrum of the hydrolyte solution showed that one- bath process could effectively improve the polypeptide release rate, and protease had no obvious effect on the structural stability of keratinase. Wool bromine Allwörden phenomena and wettability test results showed that the lipid above scales had been basically removed. The result of SEM showed wool scales had basically been stripped. All of these results showed that keratinase could promote protease to degrade wool scales, and the synergistic effect of the two enzymes was able to remove wool scales effectively.