Physico-chemical and Dyeing Properties of Raw Wool Extracted By Pressurized CO2/Modifiers

Raw wool fibers contain substantial amounts of superficial impurities, mainly consisting of wool wax (also known as wool grease or lanolin, which is solvent soluble), suint (which is water soluble) and dirt (which is insoluble) [1, 2]. All of these impurities must be removed before mechanical and chemical processing of wool [3]. Scouring is therefore one of the most important steps in raw wool manufacture [4]. The main aims of these processes are as follows [5]: • To remove grease, suint and mineral dirt from the wool. • To cause as little felting as possible, leading to maxi-mum top length and yield. • To maximize the brightness and whiteness of the wool. • To reduce water and energy consumption. • To minimize the environmental impact