Synthetic Materials: Rayon and Its Production

Synthetic Fibres

• Rayon, nylon, polyester, and acrylic are examples of synthetic fibres.

Rayon

• Rayon was the first man-made fibre, made from wood or cotton pulp.
• It is produced by treating wood pulp or cotton wool with sodium hydroxide, then pressing the solution through small holes to form fibres.
• The fibres are hardened by passing them through a sulphuric acid bath.
• Rayon is known as artificial silk, but it is cheaper than silk.
• It is highly absorbent, soft, comfortable, and easy to dye.
• Rayon fabrics are suitable for summer wear because they absorb sweat.

Uses of Rayon

• Clothes: jackets, sportshirts, sportswear, suits, and ties.
• Home furnishings: bedspreads, curtains, blankets, tablecloths, and upholstery.

Nylon

• Nylon is the first man-made fibre entirely made from chemicals, also known as the wonder polymer.
• It is strong, elastic, light, and lustrous.
• It is easy to wash, dries easily, and requires no or light ironing.

Uses of Nylon

• Textile industry: making fabrics.
• High-strength fibre: making fishing nets, ropes, parachutes, tents, toothbrushes, and machine parts.
• Elastic fibre: making socks, stockings, and other hosiery.

Polyester

• Polyester is an artificial man-made fibre manufactured from petroleum.
• It is often mixed with cotton to make polycotton, and can be blended with wool and rayon.

Thermosets

• Thermosets are hard and cannot be melted or reshaped.
• They are made up of polymer chains with strong cross-links.
• They are used to make electric switches, electric plugs, and sockets because they do not melt when heated.
• Thermosets cannot be recycled.

Thermoplastics

• Thermoplastics are made up of polymer chains with weak forces that can be broken by heat.
• They melt on heating and can be recycled and molded into any shape.
• Polythene is a thermoplastic.
• Thermoplastics are not as strong as thermoset plastics.

Acrylic

• Acrylic fibres are synthetic fibres that are soft, warm, light-weight, with a wool-like feel.
• It is also called artificial silk.
• It is cheaper than wool and used to make socks, gloves, scarves, and sweaters.
• Acrylic can be dyed a variety of colours that do not fade easily.

Plastics

• Plastics are made from crude oil, natural gas, limestone, and salt.
• They can be made as hard as stone, as transparent as glass, as light as wood, and as elastic as rubber.
• They are resistant to moisture and decay.

Learn about synthetic fibres, specifically rayon, its production process, and its characteristics. Understand how wood or cotton pulp is converted into rayon fibres through a chemical treatment and processing.