Abstract: In this paper, potassium permanganate was used for oxidizing shrink-proofing of cashmere fiber. The effect of oxidizing factors on cashmere fibers felting volume and fiber strength was analyzed through orthogonal experimental. Through intuitive analysis, variance analysis and F test, experimental results showed that potassium permanganate content was main factor influencing cashmere felting volume and fiber strength. When temperature was 50℃, time 20min, potassium permanganate content was 3%, and pH=3, the fibers felting volume of oxidized cashmere was almost two times as big as that of original cashmere fibers, and tensile breaking strength of single oxidized cashmere fiber was almost as big as that of single original cashmere fiber.

Key words: cashmere, potassium permanganate, shrink-proofing, tensile strength