Treatment of enzymatic wool with Fe3O4 nanoparticles and citric acid to enhance mechanical properties using RSM

In this work, protease enzymatic wool was treated with citric acid and Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles to produce fabric with enhanced tensile strength, elongation, alkali resistance with controllable hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity through a simple ‘impregnating’ method. Protease enzymatic is also one of the most important processes usually carried out in alkali condition to obtain the desirable characteristics, which enhanced the surface activity and nanoparticles adsorption. Mechanical properties such as tensile strength and elongation were reduced as a consequence of alkali enzymatic pretreatment. Here, with the help of citric acid cross-linking agent, Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were stabilized on the enzymatic wool surface in a way to revenge reduction in the tensile strength, elongation, alkali resistance. In order to create optimum tensile strength, elongation, alkali resistance, lightness and hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity, the appropriate models were obtained based on Design-Expert software. Overall, the results confirmed that the enzymatic wool fabrics could be modified by citric acid and Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles post-treatment. The Fe₃O₄ nanoparticle/citric acid treatment on the protease enzymatic wool improved tensile strength and elongation along with the higher alkali resistance and controllable hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity.