Acrylic fibers are synthetic fibers Synthetic fibers are the result of extensive research by scientists to improve upon naturally occurring animal and plant fibers. In general, synthetic fibers are created by forcing, usually through extrusion, fiber forming materials through holes into the air, forming a thread. Before synthetic fibers were developed, artificially manufactured made from a polymer (polyacrylonitrile Polyacrylonitrile is a resinous, fibrous, or rubbery organic polymer. Almost all polyacrylonitrile resins are copolymers made from mixtures of monomers; with acrylonitrile as the main component. PAN fibers are the chemical precursor of high-quality carbon fiber. It is chemically modified to make the carbon fibers found in plenty of both high-tech) with an average molecular weight of ~100,000, about 1900 monomer units. To be called acrylic in the U.S, the polymer must contain at least 85% acrylonitrile Acrylonitrile is the chemical compound with the formula CH2CHCN. This pungent-smelling colorless liquid often appears yellow due to impurities. It is an important monomer for the manufacture of useful plastics. In terms of its molecular structure, it consists of a vinyl group linked to a nitrile monomer. Typical comonomers are vinyl acetate Vinyl acetate is an organic compound with the formula CH3COOCH=CH2. A colorless liquid with a pungent odor, it is the precursor to polyvinyl acetate, an important polymer in industry or methyl acrylate Methyl acrylate is a volatile alpha beta unsubstituted methyl ester used in the preparation of polyamidoamine dendrimers typically by Michael addition with a primary amine. The Dupont Corporation created the first acrylic fibers in 1941 and trademarked them under the name "Orlon".
Production
The polymer is formed by free-radical polymerization in aqueous suspension. The fiber is produced by dissolving the polymer in a solvent such as N,N-dimethylformamide Dimethylformamide is the organic compound with the formula 2NC(O)H. Commonly abbreviated DMF (though this acronym is sometimes used for dimethylfuran), this colourless liquid is miscible with water and the majority of organic liquids. DMF is a common solvent for chemical reactions. Pure dimethylformamide is odorless whereas technical grade or or aqueous sodium thiocyanate Sodium thiocyanate is the chemical compound with the formula NaSCN. This colourless deliquescent salt is one of the main sources of the thiocyanate anion. As such, it is used as a precursor for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and other specialty chemicals. Thiocyanate salts are typically prepared by the reaction of cyanide with elemental sulfur:, metering it through a multi-hole spinnerette 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, typically from 2 to 15, as cut staple or as a 500,000 to 1 million filament tow. End uses include sweaters, hats, hand-knitting yarns, rugs, awnings, boat covers, and upholstery; the fiber is also used as a precursor for carbon fiber Carbon fiber , alternatively graphite fiber, carbon graphite or CF, is a material consisting of extremely thin fibers about 0.005–0.010 mm in diameter and composed mostly of carbon atoms. The carbon atoms are bonded together in microscopic crystals that are more or less aligned parallel to the long axis of the fiber. The crystal alignment makes. Production of acrylic fibers is centered in the Far East, declining in Europe and now shut down (except for precursor) in the U.S. Former U.S. brands of acrylic were Acrilan (Monsanto), Creslan (American Cyanamid), and Orlon (DuPont).
Textile uses
Acrylic is lightweight, soft, and warm, with a wool The term wool is usually restricted to describing the fibrous protein derived from the specialized skin cells called follicles in sheep-like feel. Acrylic is colored before it is turned into a fiber as it does not dye very well but has excellent colorfastness. Its fibers are not very resilient, and wrinkle easily, but most acrylic fabrics have good wrinkle resistance. Acrylic has recently been used in clothing as a less expensive alternative to cashmere Cashmere wool, usually simply known as cashmere, is a fiber obtained from Cashmere and other goats. The word cashmere derives from an old spelling of Kashmir, due to the similar feeling of the materials. The disadvantages of acrylic are that it tends to fuzz or pill A pill, colloquially known as a bobble, is a small ball of fibers that forms on a piece of cloth from wear. Pill is also a verb for the formation of such balls easily and that it does not insulate the wearer as well as wool or cashmere. Many products, like fake pashmina Pashmina refers to a type of fine cashmere wool and the textiles made from it. The name comes from Pashmineh, made from sajan Persian pashm . The wool comes from changthangi or pashmina goat, which is a special breed of goat indigenous to high altitudes of the Himalayas. Pashmina shawls are hand spun, woven and embroidered in Kashmir, and made or cashmina, use this fiber to create the illusion of cashmere.
Acrylic is resistant to moths A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described. Most species of moth are nocturnal, but there are crepuscular and diurnal species, oils, chemicals, and is very resistant to deterioration from sunlight exposure. However, static and pilling can be a problem.
Acrylic has a bad reputation amongst many knitters - however cheap the yarn is, its performance does not come near natural fibers. Also, some knitters complain that the fiber "squeaks" when knitted.
Acrylic can irritate the skin of people with eczema Eczema is a form of dermatitis, or inflammation of the epidermis . In England, an estimated 5,773,700 or about one in every nine people have been diagnosed with the disease by a clinician at some point in their lives.
| Fibers Fiber, also spelled fibre, is a class of materials that are continuous filaments or are in discrete elongated pieces, similar to lengths of thread. They are very important in the biology of both plants and animals, for holding tissues together. Human uses for fibers are diverse. They can be spun into filaments, string or rope, used as a component |
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| Natural Fibers or fibres are a class of hair-like materials that are continuous filaments or are in discrete elongated pieces, similar to pieces of thread. They can be spun into filaments, thread, or rope. They can be used as a component of composite materials. They can also be matted into sheets to make products such as paper or felt. Fibers are of three |
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Animal Animal fibers are natural fibers that consist largely of particular proteins. Instances are silk, hair/fur and feathers. The animal fibers used most commonly both in the manufacturing world as well as by the hand spinners are wool from domestic sheep and silk. Also very popular are alpaca fiber and mohair from Angora goats. Unusual fibers such as
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Alpaca Alpaca fleece is the natural fiber harvested from an alpaca. It is light weight or heavy weight, depending on how it is spun. It is soft, durable, luxurious and silky natural fiber. While similar to sheep’s wool, it is warmer, not prickly, and has no lanolin which makes it hypoallergenic. Alpaca is naturally water-repellent. Huacaya, an alpaca · Angora Angora wool or angora fibre refers to the downy coat produced by the Angora rabbit. While their names are similar, angora fibre is distinct from mohair, which comes from the Angora goat. Angora is known for its softness, low micron count , and what knitters refer to as a halo (fluffiness). It is also known for its silky texture · Bison Down · Camel hair Camel hair is, variously, the hair of a camel; a type of cloth made from camel hair; or a substitute for authentic camel hair; and is classified as a specialty hair fibre. When woven into haircloth, using the outer protective fur called guard hair, camel hair is coarse and inflexible. However, other varieties of camel hair cloth—especially those · Cashmere Cashmere wool, usually simply known as cashmere, is a fiber obtained from Cashmere and other goats. The word cashmere derives from an old spelling of Kashmir · Catgut Catgut is a type of cord that is prepared from the natural fiber in the walls of animal intestines. Usually sheep or goat intestines are used, but it is occasionally made from the intestines of a hog, horse, mule, pig or donkey. The name neither implies nor derives from any association with cats · Chiengora Chiengora is a yarn or wool spun from dog hair. The word is a portmanteau of "chien", the French word for dog, and "angora." It is up to 80% warmer than wool and is not elastic · Guanaco The guanaco is a camelid native to South America that stands between 107 and 122 cm (3.5 and 4 feet) at the shoulder and weighs about 90 kg (200 lb). The colour varies very little (unlike the domestic llama), ranging from a light brown to dark cinnamon and shading to white underneath. Guanacos have grey faces and small straight ears. They are · Llama The llama is a South American camelid, widely used as a pack and meat animal by Andean cultures since pre-hispanic times · Mohair Mohair usually refers to a silk-like fabric or yarn made from the hair of the Angora goat. The word "mohair" was adopted into English before 1570 from the Arabic mukhayyar, a type of haircloth, literally 'choice', from khayyara, 'he chose'. Mohair fiber is approximately 25-45 microns in diameter. It is one of the oldest textile fibers in · Pashmina Pashmina refers to a type of fine cashmere wool and the textiles made from it. The name comes from Pashmineh, made from sajan Persian pashm . The wool comes from changthangi or pashmina goat, which is a special breed of goat indigenous to high altitudes of the Himalayas. Pashmina shawls are hand spun, woven and embroidered in Kashmir, and made · Qiviut Qiviut is an Inuit word commonly used to indicate the wool of the muskox. The word was originally used to refer to the down feathers of birds as well as the inner wool of the muskox. It is valued for its use as a fiber as, unlike sheep's wool, it does not shrink in water at any temperature. (However, this means that it also is not useful for · Rabbit Rabbit hair is the fur of the common or Angora rabbit. It is most commonly used in the making of fur hats and coats, and is considered quite valuable · Silk Silk is a natural protein fibre, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity . The shimmering appearance of silk is due to the triangular prism-like structure of the silk fibre, which allows silk cloth to refract · Sinew A tendon is a tough band of fibrous connective tissue that usually connects muscle to bone and is capable of withstanding tension. Tendons are similar to ligaments and fasciae as they are all made of collagen except that ligaments join one bone to another bone, and fascia connect muscles to other muscles. Tendons and muscles work together and can · Spider silk Spider silk, also known as gossamer, is a protein fiber spun by spiders. Spiders use their silk to make webs or other structures, which function as nets to catch other animals, or as nests or cocoons for protection for their offspring. They can also suspend themselves using their silk, normally for the same reasons · Wool The term wool is usually restricted to describing the fibrous protein derived from the specialized skin cells called follicles in sheep · Vicuña The vicuña or vicugna is one of two wild South American camelids, along with the guanaco, which live in the high alpine areas of the Andes. It is a relative of the llama, and is now believed to be the wild ancestor of domesticated alpacas, which are raised for their fibre. Vicuñas produce small amounts of extremely fine wool, which is very · Yak The yak, Bos grunniens, is a long-haired bovine found throughout the Himalayan region of south Central Asia, the Tibetan Plateau and as far north as Mongolia and Russia. In addition to a large domestic population, there is a small, vulnerable wild yak population
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Vegetable Fiber crops are field crops grown for their fibers, which are traditionally used to make paper, cloth, or rope. The fibers may be chemically modified, like in viscose or cellophane. In recent years materials scientists have begun exploring further use of these fibers in composite materials
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Abacá Abacá is a species of banana native to the Philippines, grown widely as well in Borneo and Sumatra. It is sometimes referred to as "BacBac". The plant is of great economic importance, being harvested for its fibre, once generally called Manila hemp, extracted from the leaf sheath around the trunk. On average, the plant grows about 20 · Bamboo Bamboo listen is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family · Coir Coir fibres are found between the hard, internal shell and the outer coat of a coconut. The individual fibre cells are narrow and hollow, with thick walls made of cellulose. They are pale when immature but later become hardened and yellowed as a layer of lignin is deposited on their walls. There are two varieties of coir. Brown coir is harvested · Cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll around the seeds of the cotton plant . The plant is a shrub native to tropical and subtropical regions around the world, including the Americas,Africa , India and Pakistan. The fiber most often is spun into yarn or thread and used to make a soft, breathable textile, which is the most · Flax Flax (binomial name: Linum usitatissimum) is a member of the genus Linum in the family Linaceae. It is native to the region extending from the eastern Mediterranean to India and was probably first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent. It is known as Agasi/Akshi in Kannada, जवस (Jawas/Javas) or अळशी (Alashi) in Marathi and तीसी · Hemp Hemp is the name of the soft, durable fibre that is cultivated from plants of the Cannabis genus, cultivated for commercial use · Jute Jute is a long, soft, shiny vegetable fibre that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from plants in the genus Corchorus, which has been classified in the family Tiliaceae, or more recently in Malvaceae · Kapok Kapok is a tropical tree of the order Malvales and the family Malvaceae (previously separated in the family Bombacaceae), native to Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, northern South America, and (as the variety C. pentandra var. guineensis) to tropical west Africa. The word is also used for the fibre obtained from its seed pods. The tree · Kenaf Kenaf [Etymology: Persian], Hibiscus cannabinus, is a plant in the Malvaceae family. Hibiscus cannabinus is in the genus Hibiscus and is probably native to southern Asia, though its exact natural origin is unknown. The name also applies to the fibre obtained from this plant. Kenaf is one of the allied fibres of jute and shows similar · Piña Piña is a pineapple fiber made from the leaves of a pineapple plant and is commonly used in the Philippines. It is sometimes combined with silk or polyester to create a textile fabric. Piña's name comes from the Spanish word piña which literally means pineapple · Raffia palm The Raffia palms are a genus of twenty species of palms native to tropical regions of Africa, especially Madagascar, with one species (R. taedigera) also occurring in Central and South America. They grow up to 16 m tall and are remarkable for their compound pinnate leaves, the longest in the plant kingdom; leaves of R. regalis up to 25.11 m long · Ramie Ramie is a flowering plant in the nettle family Urticaceae, native to eastern Asia. It is a herbaceous perennial growing to 1–2.5 m tall; the leaves are heart-shaped, 7–15 cm long and 6–12 cm broad, and white on the underside with dense small hairs—this gives it a silvery appearance; unlike nettles, the hairs do not sting. The true ramie · Sisal Sisal is an agave that yields a stiff fibre traditionally used in making twine, rope and also dartboards. The term may refer either to the plant or the fibre, depending on context. It is sometimes incorrectly referred to as sisal hemp because hemp was for centuries a major source for fibre, so other fibres were sometimes named after it · Wood Wood fibres are usually cellulosic elements that are extracted from trees, straw, bamboo, cotton seed, hemp, sugarcane and other sources
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Mineral
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Asbestos · Basalt · Mineral wool · Glass wool
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| Cellulose |
Acetate · Art silk · Bamboo · Lyocell (Tencel) · Modal · Rayon
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| Synthetic |
Acrylic · Aramid (Twaron · Kevlar · Technora · Nomex) · Carbon (Tenax) · Derclon · Microfiber · Modacrylic · Nylon · Olefin · Polyester · Polyethylene (Dyneema · Spectra) · Spandex · Vinalon · Zylon
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Categories: Synthetic fibers | Plastics
