Rayon
For a long time in the history of mankind, humans have depended on natural elements to make fabric fibers for clothing. These are what are called natural fibers.
Gradually, with advances in technology many man-made synthetic fibers were developed. These Man-made fibers are generally classified under two main categories:
(i) Cellulosic fibers: Ones that are made from natural products and
(ii) Non-cellulosic polymer fibers: Ones that are synthesized from chemical compounds.
Rayon fiber is a natural fabric made from the cellulose of cotton fiber or wood pulp. Its strands, as a matter of fact, are made from transformed or regenerated cellulose substance. As expected, these are recognized as regenerated cellulose fibers.
Rayon was the first artificial fiber to be manufactured and developed. Made from wood or cotton pulp, the earliest version of Rayon was first known as Artificial Silk. The first crude Artificial Silk was invented circa 1855 by a Swiss chemist by the name of Georges Audemars. He did this by dipping a needle into molten mulberry bark pulp and gum-like rubber to make strands or threads. It was soon realized, though, that this method was too slow and irksome to be practical.
This was followed by the patenting of an Artificial Silk in 1884 by a French chemist, Hilaire de Charbonnet, Comte de Chardonnay. This Artificial Silk type was cellulose-based and the fabric came to be known as Chardonnay silk. Although it looked great but because it was very flammable, Chardonnay silk was removed from the market.
British inventors, Charles Cross, Edward Bevan, and Clayton Beadle, in 1894, patented a safe, practical and commercially viable method of making artificial silk that came to be known as Viscose Rayon. The first commercially produced artificial silk or rayon was first incorporated by Avtex Fibers in 1910 in the United States.
The term “rayon” was first used came into use only from 1924 onwards.
The manufacture of rayon starts with cellulose, extracted from any plant material that has long molecular chains. Steeped in caustic soda to concentrate some of the cellulose into soda cellulose, the cellulose is then presses and/or rolled to remove the soda solution that in excess. Post pressing, the cellulose is shredded to form white crumb.
As the white crumb oxidizes, it is treated with carbon disulfide. It forms yellow crumb and is then dissolved in a caustic solution, which relaxes the hydrogen bonds, producing a highly viscous substance. This viscous substance is what gives the manufacturing process its name: the viscose process.
The viscous fluid is aged and small pockets of air are pushed out forcefully to ensure that a strong and even fibre results. The mixture is sent through a spinner, which forms many even and fine threads that are sent through a setting solution and the rayon fibre is formed. This is stretched and washed to form the rayon fabric.
This process is complex and leads to a lot of environmental pollution. This is the inspiration behind a drive to clean up the fiber industry. The rayon industry has also had to bear with the development of cheaper artificial fabrics that have a shorter manufacturing process, like nylon.
Rayon is often merged with true synthetic fabrics, depending on its various applications. It is prudent to follow the individual care instructions on labels of rayon garments, as these blends come with specific handling needs.
- Nikita Sarin
Tags: Artificial Fiber, Rayon, Rayon History, Rayon Invention
Related Posts:Related Posts
Leave a Comment
