Synthetic fibres are not obtained from plants or animal source. They are made by the raw materials obtained from petroleum . Synthetic fibres are not only for fabrics but also used for household articles.
Synthetic fibres are made of chain like structure which are themselves formed by joining small units together. Each small unit in the chain is called monomer units. Many small units of monomers combine to form a large unit called polymer. Synthetic fibres are made of polymers.
Unlike natural fibres, synthetic fibres are made from petrochemicals . Petrochemicals are subjected to various chemical processes to obtain synthetic fibres. Due to this they are called artificial fibres.
Nylon
Nylon is a synthetic fibre. It is prepared from coal, water, air. It is the first fully processed synthetic fibre. It became popular during the second world war, Nowadays Nylon is replaced by silk in most hoisery articles such as stockings.
Formation of Nylon
Nylon is a polymer made of chemical units called polyamides. Polyamides are made with monomers, hexamethylene diamine and adipic acid. Solid chips of these polyamides are melted and forced through a heated spinneret which has very tiny holes.
The size and shape of holes change, the characteristics of the resulting fibre. The fibre solidifies as it cools and can be spun or woven.
Uses of nylon
Nylon fibre is strong, elastic and light in weight . Clothes made from nylon are lustrous and easy to wash. So it become very popular. Nylon doesn't absorb the water. But static electricity is caused in nylon so it catches fire very easily.
Nylon has replaced wool as the fibre used in making carpets. Nylon is also used in making parachutes. Rock climbers use nylon ropes to climb mountains. It is used in making swim suits, hosiery, sails, umbrella cloth, car tyres etc.
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Rayon
With the efforts of scientists at the ending of nineteenth century The first commercial production of artificial silk was acheived in USA in 1911. But this fibre was named as Rayon only in 1924. The first Rayon factory in India was established in Kerala in 1946.
Formation of Rayon
The cellulose that is collected from wooden or bamboo pulp, is treated with several chemicals. First sodium hydroxide is added and then carbon disulphide to the celloluse. The celloluse dissolves in chemicals, added to it and gives a syrup called viscose. Viscose is forced through spinneret into a solution of sulfuric acid. This gives Rayon.
Rayon is mixed with cotton to make bed sheets. Rayon is mixed with wool to make carpets. Rayon is often used for fashion and home furnishings. Rayon is also found in sanitary products, diapers and bandages.
Acrylic
All the winter wear nowadays is made of a synthetic fibre called acrylic. It became commercially available in 1941. It looks like a natural wool. It can be considered as 'fake fur'.
Formation
It is made from petrochemicals . It is spun by either dry spinning or wet spinning. In dry spining the dissolved polymers are extruded from warm air. The fibres solidify by evaporation. In wet spinning, the polymers are extruded into a bath and then dried out.
The wool obtained from natural resources are expensive, but acrylic a fake fur is very cheap then wool.
Polyesters
Polyester is most commonly used synthetic fibre. Polyester fibres revolutionized the fabric industry and changed into costume culture. Fabric made from polyester doesn't get wrinkles easily. It remains crisp and is easily washable. So it is quite suitable for making dress material. Terylene is a popular polyester. It can be drawn into very fine fibres. This fibre blends very nicely with natural fibres. Terylene is often mixed with cotton to give terricotton and also mixed with wool to give terriwool.
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