Optimization of Wool Slenderizing Along with In-situ Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Box–Behnken Design

Abstract

Following our previous research for simultaneous in-situ synthesis of silver nanoparticles and wool fiber fineness using sulfur-based reducing agents, here we focused on optimization of the process using response surface methodology. A Box–Behnken Design was applied to study the influence of variables including silver nitrate percentage, reducing agent concentration, temperature and time of the procedure, and their appropriate values for the highest fineness, lowest tenacity reduction and lowest color change were obtained. Here we tried to optimize the preparation conditions using a weak reducing agent namely sodium bisulfite to achieve the equivalent fineness modification but with reduced fiber damage.

Keywords

• fineness
• response surface methodology
• silver nanoparticles
• wool slenderizing