The resistant membrane is sulfur-rich and characterized by a high
degree of crosslinking via disulfide and isodipeptide bonds. According
to SEM observation, the epicuticle of wool fiber is severely
damaged after the treatment, which indicates the damage of sulfurrich
membrane. The damage caused by hydrogen peroxide is due to
the attacking of perhydroxy formed from hydrogen peroxide. The
disulfide bond is attacked and the disulfide oxidation products from
ruptured S S bonds are cysteic acid and intermediate sulfoxides
. Combined with the FTIR results, it could be estimated that
the resistant membrane of the epicuticle of wool fiber was damaged
through hydrogen peroxide treatment, which would facilitate the
diffusion of water through the pathway in the endocuticle of wool
fiber.