Abstract:

In order to achieve high value utilization of ducklings down, compared with the duck down, the chemical structure, microscopic morphology, thermal stability and warmth retention of ducklings down were studied by infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis, X- ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and flat panel heating apparatus. The results show that the duck down and ducklings down are mainly composed of C, N, O and S. The duck down contains a distinct characteriatic peak of mercapto, and the crystallijity is higher than that of  ducklings down. The number, the diameter and the length of the duck down branch are smaller than that of the ducklings down. The diameter, the length, the number of triangular node size,  the distance between the nodes, the size and number of the nodes, and the distance between the nodes are also larger than that of ducklings down. The thermal stability and warmth of duck down are better than those of ducklings down.

Key words: duck down, ducklings down, duck down structure, warmth retention