The Surface Properties and Water Adsorption Behaviour of Hair Fibers

Watch now

Abstract:
Water should be considered an integral part of hair’s complex structure due to its considerable influence on fiber properties. However, this water content is not constant and varies with the relative humidity of the environment – and accordingly so do certain hair properties. These changing properties are behind the ability to create temporary so-called “water-set“ hairstyles – but they also represent the origin of eventual style failure. At the same time, consumers worry greatly about the water content of their hair and the potential for “drying out” – where there is a demand for “moisturizing” or “hydrating products” if this perceived situation is realized. The interaction of hair and water can represent a probe into the inner structure and there is a need for a means of accurately measuring hair’s water content.