The Benzoylation of Wool and its Effect on Dye Affinity and Shrink Resistance

Wool was treated with benzoic anhydride in a variety of solvents under different treatment conditions. Samples produced in the swelling solvent, N, N–dimethyl formamide, gave a machine–washable finish and outstanding dyeability, when using disperse dyes. The non–applicability of benzoic anhydride from aqueous solutions is a major problem in transferring these interesting results from a laboratory curiosity to practical mill conditions.