Stress relaxation of animal fibres

The phenomenon of stress relaxation in animal fibres, such as wool, is analysed with reference to proposed structural models for keratin. Rate of stress relaxation in wool is analysed by treating stress relaxation as a unimolecular reaction process. In general, the data fit this system reasonably w ell. Rate constants are given for the two samples under test. The variation in rate constants between the two samples is discussed in terms of the biological aspects of sulphur content. It is evident that the solution of problems which can be studied by special techniques applicable only to textile protein fibres can throw considerable light on problems of structure and rheology of enzymes, viruses, hormones, and muscles. The different types of inter and intra molecular bonds can be recognized and the relationship to mechanical, physical, chemical and even physiological behaviour interpreted.