Rayon and its variations Rayon

1 rayon , variations

1.1 nitrocellulose
1.2 acetate method
1.3 cuprammonium method
1.4 viscose method
1.5 lyocell

rayon , variations
nitrocellulose

the solubility of nitrocellulose in organic solvents such ether , acetone basis first artificial silk georges audemars in 1855. commercial production started in 1891, result flammable , more expensive cellulose acetate or cuprammonium rayon. because of expense, production ceased in 1900s. nitrocellulose briefly known mother-in-law silk . frank hastings griffin invented double-godet, special stretch-spinning process changed artificial silk rayon, rendering usable in many industrial products such tire cords , clothing. nathan rosenstein invented spunize process turned rayon hard fiber fabric. allowed rayon become popular raw material in textiles.

acetate method

paul schützenberger discovered cellulose reacts acetic anhydride form cellulose acetate. triacetate soluble in chloroform making method expensive. discovery hydrolyzed cellulose acetate soluble in more polar solvents, acetone, made production of cellulose acetate fibers cheap , efficient.

cuprammonium method

the swiss chemist matthias eduard schweizer (1818–1860) discovered cellulose dissolved in tetraaminecopper dihydroxide. max fremery , johann urban developed method produce carbon fibers use in light bulbs in 1897. production of cuprammonium rayon textiles started in 1899 in vereinigte glanzstoff fabriken ag in oberbruch near aachen. improvement j. p. bemberg ag in 1904 made artificial silk product comparable real silk.

viscose method


a device spinning viscose rayon dating 1901

in 1894, english chemist charles frederick cross, , collaborators edward john bevan, , clayton beadle patented artificial silk. named material viscose , because production involved intermediacy of highly viscous solution. process built on reaction of cellulose strong base, followed treatment of solution carbon disulfide give xanthate derivative. xanthate converted cellulose fiber in subsequent step. first commercial viscose rayon produced u.k. company courtaulds fibres in 1905. courtaulds formed american division, american viscose, (later known avtex fibers) produce formulation in united states in 1910. name rayon adopted in 1924, viscose being used viscous organic liquid used make both rayon , cellophane. in europe, though, fabric became known viscose , has been ruled acceptable alternative term rayon u.s. federal trade commission (ftc).

the viscose method can use wood source of cellulose, whereas other routes rayon require lignin-free cellulose starting material. use of woody sources of cellulose makes viscose cheaper, used on larger scale other methods. on other hand, viscose process affords large amounts of contaminated waste water. rayon produced filament fiber until 1930s when methods developed utilize broken waste rayon staple fiber.

the physical properties of rayon remain unchanged until development of high-tenacity rayon in 1940s. further research , development led high-wet-modulus rayon (hwm rayon) in 1950s. research in uk centred on government-funded british rayon research association.

industrial applications of rayon emerged around 1935. substituting cotton fiber in tires , belts, industrial types of rayon developed totally different set of properties, amongst tensile strength (elasticity) paramount.

lyocell

the lyocell process relies on dissolution of cellulose products in solvent, n-methylmorpholine n-oxide. process starts woody sources of cellulose , involves dry jet-wet spinning. developed @ defunct american enka , courtaulds fibres. of 2013, lenzing s tencel brand perhaps known lyocell fiber producer.