Synthetic fibers or synthetic fibres (in British English ; see spelling differences ) are fibers made by humans through chemical synthesis , as opposed to natural fibers that are directly derived from living organisms, such as plants (like cotton) or fur from animals. They are the result of extensive research by scientists to replicate naturally occurring animal and plant fibers . In general, synthetic fibers are created by extruding fiber-forming materials through spinnerets , forming a fiber. These are called synthetic or artificial fibers. The word polymer comes from a Greek prefix "poly" which means "many" and suffix "mer" which means "single units". (Note: each single unit of a polymer is called a monomer).
28-453: Acrylic fibers are synthetic fibers made from a polymer ( polyacrylonitrile ) with an average molecular weight of ~100,000, about 1900 monomer units. For a fiber to be called "acrylic" in the US, the polymer must contain at least 85% acrylonitrile monomer . Typical comonomers are vinyl acetate or methyl acrylate . DuPont created the first acrylic fibers in 1941 and trademarked them under
56-439: A 50% solution of sodium thiocyanate to produce a dope ready for spinning into a water bath to produce "courtelle" fiber in various grades of denier. The sodium thiocyanate solution was reconcentrated and re-used. The reaction was a continuous process, with about 5% of reactants being recycled. This recycling process resulted in the build-up of pollutants in the process, as did the recycling of the solvent. A great deal of research in
84-662: A 500,000 to 1 million filaments tow . End uses include sweaters, hats, hand-knitting yarns, socks, rugs, awnings, boat covers, and upholstery; the fiber is also used as " PAN " precursor for carbon fiber . Production of acrylic fibers is centered in the Far East, Turkey, India, Mexico, and South America, though a number of European producers still continue to operate, including Dralon and Fisipe. US producers have ended production (except for specialty uses such as in friction materials, gaskets, specialty papers, conductive, and stucco), though acrylic tow and staple are still spun into yarns in
112-464: A fabric that would be competitive with nylon in its properties. This research resulted in the emergence of Orlon, a synthetic fiber isolated from polymers. The material turned out to be incredibly practical and, by many characteristics, exceeded many artificial and natural analogs at that time. However, the new fabric had a significant disadvantage: the fibers could not be dyed. Only in 1952, four years later, DuPont chemists solved this problem. They created
140-514: A global scale, with the greatest concentration near sewage outflows. Of the man-made material found on the shoreline, 85% were microfibers and matched the types of material (such as nylon and acrylic) used in clothing. In the middle of the 20th century, the DuPont Company (USA) was actively developing a new material that could compete with the then-popular nylon in quality and properties. DuPont first introduced this material in 1948 to create
168-446: A house. Basements and attics are commonly the most heavily affected areas. Larvae can also sometimes act as bookworms , chewing through paper (which they cannot digest for nutrition) to reach book bindings or mold colonies for nourishment. Various means are used to repel or kill moths . Pheromone traps are also used both to count and to destroy clothes moths, although these only attract certain species of clothes moth so it
196-407: A modified acrylic fiber that contains at least 35% and at most 85% acrylonitrile . Vinylidene chloride or vinyl bromide used in modacrylic give the fiber flame retardant properties. End-uses of modacrylic include faux fur, wigs, hair extensions, and protective clothing. The polymer is formed by free-radical polymerization in aqueous suspension. The fiber is produced by dissolving the polymer in
224-406: A new version of the previously invented synthetic fabric, which met all the requirements. And most importantly, it was perfectly dyed. A distinctive feature of the acrylic fiber is its burning behavior; it melts and emits acrid smoke with a sour smell. Although acrylic fabric has pros and cons, it is popular in the fashion and textile world due to its characteristics. Synthetic fiber Nylon
252-462: A solvent such as N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) or aqueous sodium thiocyanate , metering it through a multi-hole spinneret and coagulating the resultant filaments in an aqueous solution of the same solvent (wet spinning) or evaporating the solvent in a stream of heated inert gas (dry spinning). Washing, stretching, drying, and crimping complete the processing. Acrylic fibers are produced in a range of deniers , usually from 0.9 to 15, as cut staple or as
280-820: A source of microplastic pollution from laundry machines. Common synthetic fibers include: Specialty synthetic fibers include: Other synthetic materials used in fibers include: Modern fibers that are made from older artificial materials include: Clothes moth Clothes moth or clothing moth is the common name for several species of moth considered to be pests, whose larvae eat animal fibres (hairs), including clothing and other fabrics . These include: The larvae of clothes moths can eat animal fibres which are not removed by other scavengers, and are capable of consuming and digesting keratin materials that make up silk, wool, fur, and hair. This allows clothes moths to attack human-made garments and textiles which include animal fibres, damaging them and leading to
308-505: A washing machine to launder items in hot water for 20–30 minutes to kill eggs. Among other methods, recommendations to protect heritage collections of textiles include checking the undersides of chairs, moving and vacuum-cleaning all furniture once a month and sealing the discarded vacuum cleaner bag, checking and shaking textiles every month, and regularly checking attics and chimneys. If textiles do become infested, adults, eggs and larvae can be killed by freezing garments in sealed bags for
SECTION 10
#1732801488655336-502: Is extruded in colored or pigmented form; others is extruded in " ecru ", otherwise known as "natural," "raw white," or "undyed." Pigmented fiber has the highest color permanence. Its fibers are very resilient compared to both other synthetics and natural fibers. Some acrylic is used in clothing as a less expensive alternative to cashmere , due to the similar feeling of the materials. Some acrylic fabrics may fuzz or pill easily, though there are low-pilling variants. Acrylic takes color well,
364-410: Is possible to have an active clothes moth infestation without any moths being found on the pheromone traps. Care should be taken to correctly distinguish clothes moths from similar-appearing pantry or Indianmeal moths , so that the appropriate pheromone traps are used. To control an infestation, all items from the area should be removed and cleaned by using a strong-suctioned vacuum, or soapy water and
392-455: Is the "workhorse" hand-crafting fiber for crafters who knit or crochet ; acrylic yarn may be perceived as "cheap" because it is typically priced lower than its natural-fiber counterparts, and because it lacks some of their properties, including softness and propensity to felt. The fiber requires heat to "relax" or set the shape of the finished garment, and it isn't as warm when wet as alternatives like wool . Some hand-knitters also complain that
420-444: Is washable, and is generally hypoallergenic. End-uses include socks, hats, gloves, scarves, sweaters, home furnishing fabrics, and awnings. Acrylic can also be used to make fake fur and to make many different knitted clothes. As acrylic is a synthetic fiber, the larvae of clothes moths are unable to digest it. However, acrylic fibers that are blended with wool or soiled may be eaten as a consequence of having blended fibers. Acrylic
448-585: The UK spent 12 months analyzing what happened when a number of synthetic materials were washed at different temperatures in domestic washing machines, using different combinations of detergents, to quantify the microfibres shed. They found that acrylic was responsible for releasing nearly 730,000 tiny synthetic particles ( microplastics ) per wash, five times more than polyester-cotton blend fabric, and nearly 1.5 times as many as pure polyester . Research by ecologist Mark Browne showed synthetic fibre waste over coastlines at
476-484: The USA. Former U.S. brands of acrylic included Acrilan (Monsanto), and Creslan (American Cyanamid). Other brand names that are still in use include Dralon (Dralon GmbH) and Drytex (Sudamericana de Fibras, S.A.). In the late 1950s, Courtaulds Ltd began investigating the production of an acrylic fiber later to be called "Courtelle" by a process of solvent polymerization. Methyl acrylate (6%) and acrylonitrile were polymerised in
504-541: The chemical engineering laboratory in Lockhurst Lane, Coventry, and on the pre-production pilot plant at Little Heath overcame the recycling problems. It resulted in the process becoming a commercial success at a new production plant in Grimsby. Acrylic is lightweight, soft, and warm, with a wool -like feel. It can also be made to mimic other fibers, such as cotton, when spun on short staple equipment. Some acrylic
532-423: The common name of these pests. Household-wide infestations can stem from a single textile item, such as a garment or rug , with potential targets besides garments including upholstery , toys, or even taxidermied animals . Discarded fibres found around the home can contribute to infestations as well, such as pet sheddings, hair and fur buildup inside vents and air ducts, or birds' nests built inside some part of
560-460: The fiber "squeaks" when knitted, or that it is painful to knit with because of a lack of "give" or stretch in the yarn. On the other hand, it is machine-washable and extremely color-fast. This makes it useful in certain items, like garments for babies, which require constant washing. However it is much more flammable than its natural fiber counterparts, so caution should be used when making items for babies and children. A team at Plymouth University in
588-575: The fiber. The world production of synthetic fibers was 55.2 million tonnes in 2014. About half of all fibres are synthetic, with applications in every field of fiber and textile technology. Although many classes of fibers based on synthetic polymers have been evaluated as potentially valuable commercial products, four of them - nylon , polyester , acrylic and polyolefin - dominate the market. These four account for approximately 98 percent by volume of synthetic fiber production, with polyester alone accounting for around 60 percent. Synthetic fibers are
SECTION 20
#1732801488655616-558: The late 1870s, Chardonnet was working with Louis Pasteur on a remedy to the epidemic that was destroying French silkworms . Failure to clean up a spill in the darkroom resulted in Chardonnet's discovery of nitrocellulose as a potential replacement for real silk. Realizing the value of such a discovery, Chardonnet began to develop his new product, which he displayed at the Paris Exhibition of 1889. Chardonnet's material
644-401: The name Orlon . It was first developed in the mid-1940s but was not produced in large quantities until the 1950s. Strong and warm, acrylic fiber is often used for sweaters and tracksuits and as linings for boots and gloves, as well as in furnishing fabrics and carpets. It is manufactured as a filament, then cut into short staple lengths similar to wool hairs, and spun into yarn. Modacrylic is
672-518: Was developed by Wallace Carothers , an American researcher at the chemical firm DuPont in the 1930s. It soon made its debut in the United States as a replacement for silk , just in time for the introduction of rationing during World War II . Its novel use as a material for women's stockings overshadowed more practical uses, such as a replacement for the silk in parachutes and other military uses like ropes . The first polyester fiber
700-450: Was extremely flammable, and subsequently replaced with other, more stable materials. The first successful process was developed in 1894 by English chemist Charles Frederick Cross , and his collaborators Edward John Bevan and Clayton Beadle. They named the fiber " viscose ", because the reaction product of carbon disulfide and cellulose in basic conditions gave a highly viscous solution of xanthate . The first commercial viscose rayon
728-665: Was patented in Britain in 1928 by the International General Electric company. It was also produced by British chemists working at the Calico Printers' Association , John Rex Whinfield and James Tennant Dickson, in 1941. They produced and patented one of the first polyester fibers which they named Terylene , also known as Dacron , equal to or surpassing nylon in toughness and resilience. ICI and DuPont went on to produce their own versions of
756-438: Was produced by the UK company Courtaulds in 1905. The name "rayon" was adopted in 1924, with "viscose" being used for the viscous organic liquid used to make both rayon and cellophane . A similar product known as cellulose acetate was discovered in 1865. Rayon and acetate are both artificial fibers, but not truly synthetic, being made from wood . Nylon , the first synthetic fiber in the "fully synthetic" sense of that term,
784-526: Was the first commercially successful synthetic thermoplastic polymer. DuPont began its research project in 1927. The first nylon, nylon 66, was synthesized on February 28, 1935, by Wallace Hume Carothers at DuPont's research facility at the DuPont Experimental Station. The next step was taken by Hilaire de Chardonnet , a French engineer and industrialist , who invented the first artificial silk , which he called "Chardonnet silk". In
#654345