Humidity induces changes in the dimensions of hydrogel-coated wool yarns
Polymeric hydrogel based on acrylic acid (AA) and N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMAA) was prepared by photopolymerization reaction, using nano-alumina as the inorganic crosslinker. Hydrogel-coated wool yarns determine their dimensional changes under humidity conditions. Surface morphology of the hydrogel-coated wool yarns was carried out using SEM microscopy. The hydrogel was further characterized by Fourier transformer infrared spectrum (FTIR), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetry (TG) and differential thermogravimetry (DTG). This contribution showed that UV-initiated polymerization coating wool yarns can change the functional properties of wool fibers. ; ThisresearchwassupportedbytheFundamentalResearchFundsfortheCentralUniversities (JUSRP115A03) and Chinese Foundation Key Projects of Governmental Cooperation in International Scientific and Technological Innovation (2016YFE0115700). This study was also supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit and COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684) and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020—Programa Operacional Regional do Norte. ...