Synthetic fiber

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Synthetic fiber

Synthetic fibers are the result of extensive research by scientist

Scientist

A scientist, in the broadest sense, refers to any person that engages in a system activity to acquire knowledge or an individual that engages in such practices and traditions that are linked to schools of thought or philosophy....
s to improve upon naturally occurring animal

Animal

Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the Kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life....
and plant. In general, synthetic

Synthetic

Synthetic is usually used in the sense of synthesis, the combination of two or more parts, whether by design or by natural processes. It can also be used as in:...
fibers are created by forcing, usually through extrusion

Extrusion

Extrusion is a process used to create objects of a fixed cross section profile. A material is pushed or drawn through a Die of the desired cross-section....
, fiber forming materials through holes (called spinnerets) into the air, forming a thread. Before synthetic fibers were developed, artificial

Artificial

Artificial is something which is not Natural . Its original sense, related to artifact and artifice, refers to a product of human endeavor; a more English but gendered synonym is man-made....
ly manufactured fibers were made from cellulose

Cellulose

File:Cellulose Sessel.svgCellulose is an organic compound with the chemical formula , a polysaccharide consisting of a linear chain of several hundred to over ten thousand ? linked D-glucose units....
, which comes from plants.

The first artificial fiber, known as artificial silk from 1799 onwards, became known as viscose

Viscose

Viscose is a viscous organic liquid used to make rayon and cellophane. Viscose is becoming synonymous with rayon, a soft material, used in mostly tops, coats and jackets....
around 1894, and finally rayon

Rayon

Rayon is a manufactured regenerated cellulose fiber. Because it is produced from naturally occurring polymers, it is neither a truly synthetic fiber nor a natural fiber; it is a semi-synthetic fiber ....
in 1924.

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Synthetic fibers are the result of extensive research by scientist

Scientist

Animal

Synthetic

Extrusion

Artificial

Cellulose

Viscose

Rayon

Cellulose acetate

Cellulose acetate, first prepared in 1865, is the acetate ester of cellulose. Cellulose acetate is used as a film base in photography, and as a component in some adhesives; it is also used as a synthetic fiber....
was discovered in 1865. Rayon and acetate are both artificial fibers, but not truly synthetic, being made from wood

Wood

Wood is an organic material; in the strict sense wood is produced as secondary xylem in the stems of woody plants, notably trees but also shrubs, etc....
. Although these artificial fibers were discovered in the mid-nineteenth century, successful modern manufacture began much later (see the dates below).

Nylon

Nylon

Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers known generically as polyamides and first produced on February 28, 1935 by Wallace Carothers at DuPont....
, the first synthetic fiber, made its debut in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
as a replacement for silk

Silk

Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be weaving into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from Pupa#Cocoons made by the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity ....
, just in time for World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a Participants in World War II, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II and the Axis powers....
rationing. Its novel use as a material for women's stockings overshadowed more practical uses, such as a replacement for the silk in parachutes

Parachutes

Parachutes is the debut album by English alternative rock band Coldplay, released by the record label Parlophone on 10 July 2000 in the United Kingdom....
and other military

Military

A military is an organization authorized by its nation to use force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or Threat of force ....
uses.

Common synthetic fibers include:

Rayon
Rayon

Rayon is a manufactured regenerated cellulose fiber. Because it is produced from naturally occurring polymers, it is neither a truly synthetic fiber nor a natural fiber; it is a semi-synthetic fiber ....
(1910) (artificial, not synthetic)
Acetate
Cellulose acetate

Cellulose acetate, first prepared in 1865, is the acetate ester of cellulose. Cellulose acetate is used as a film base in photography, and as a component in some adhesives; it is also used as a synthetic fiber....
(1924) (artificial, not synthetic)
Nylon
Nylon

Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers known generically as polyamides and first produced on February 28, 1935 by Wallace Carothers at DuPont....
(1939)
Modacrylic
Modacrylic

A modacrylic is a synthetic copolymer. Modacrylics are soft, strong, resilient, and dimensionally stable. They can be easily dyed, show good press and shape retention, and are quick to dry....
(1949)
Olefin
Olefin fiber

Olefin fiber is a Synthetic fiber made from alkenes. It is used in the manufacture of various textiles as well as clothing, upholstery, wallpaper, ropes, and vehicle interiors....
(1949)
Acrylic
Acrylic fiber

Acrylic fibers are synthetic fibers made from a polymer 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 monomer....
(1950)
Polyester
Polyester

Polyester is a category of polymers which contain the ester functional group in their main chain. Although there are many polyesters, the term "polyester" as a specific material most commonly refers to polyethylene terephthalate ....
(1953)
PLA (2002)

Specialty synthetic fibers include:

Vinyon
Vinyon

Vinyon is a synthetic fiber made from polyvinyl chloride. In some countries other than the United States, vinyon fibers are referred to as polyvinyl chloride fibers....
(1939)
Saran
Saran (plastic)

Saran is the trade name for a number of polymers made from vinylidene chloride , along with other monomers. The main advantage of Saran film is a very low permeability to water vapor, flavor and aroma molecules, and oxygen compared to other plastics....
(1941)
Spandex
Spandex

Spandex or elastane is a synthetic fiber known for its exceptional elasticity . It is stronger and more durable than rubber, its major non-synthetic competitor....
(1959)
Vinalon
Vinalon

Vinalon is a synthetic fibre, produced from polyvinyl alcohol using anthracite and limestone as raw materials. Vinalon was first developed by the Korean scientist Ri Sung Gi at the Takatsuki chemical research institute in 1939....
(1939)
Aramid
Aramid

Aramid fibers are a class of heat-resistant and strong synthetic fibers. They are used in aerospace and military applications, for ballistic rated bulletproof vest cloth, and as an asbestos substitute....
s (1961) - known as Nomex
Nomex

Nomex is a registered trademark for flame resistant meta-aramid material developed in the early 1960s by DuPont and first marketed in 1967.It can be considered an aromaticity nylon, the meta- variant of the para--aramid Kevlar....
, Kevlar
Kevlar

Kevlar is the registered trademark for a light, strong aramid synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora.Developed at DuPont in 1965 by Stephanie Kwolek it was first commercially used in the early 1970s as a replacement for steel in racing tires....
and Twaron
Twaron

Twaron is the brandname of Teijin Aramid for a Aramid....
Modal
Modal (textile)

Modal is a bio-based material fiber made by spinning reconstituted cellulose from beech trees. It is about 50% more hygroscopic, or water-absorbent, per unit volume than cotton is....
(1960's)
PBI (Polybenzimidazole fibre) (1983)
Sulfar
Poly(p-phenylene sulfide)

Polyphenylene sulfide is an organic polymer consisting of aromatic rings linked with thioethers. Synthetic fiber and textiles derived from this polymer are known to resist chemical and thermal attack....
(1983)
Lyocell
Lyocell

Lyocell is a fibre made from wood pulp cellulose. It was first manufactured in 1987 by Courtaulds Fibres UK at their pilot plant S25. The only current manufacturer in the United States is Lenzing Inc, who market it under the trademarked brand name Tencel....
(1992)
Dyneema/Spectra (1979)
M-5 (PIPD fibre)
Orlon
Zylon
Zylon

Zylon is a trademarked name for a range of thermoset polyurethane synthetic polymer materials manufactured by the Toyobo Corporation. Zylon was invented and developed by SRI International in the 1980s....
(PBO fibre)
Vectran
Vectran

Vectran is a manufactured fibre, spun from a liquid crystal polymer created by Celanese Acetate LLC and now manufactured by Kuraray Chemically it is an aromatic polyester....
(TLCP fiber) made from Vectra LCP polymer

Other synthetic materials used in fibers include:

Acrylonitrile
Acrylonitrile

Acrylonitrile is the chemical compound with the formula CH2CHCN. This pungent-smelling colorless liquid often appears yellow due to impurities....
rubber (1930)

Modern fibers that are made from older artificial materials include:

Glass Fiber is used for:

industrial, automotive, and home insulation (Fiberglass
Fiberglass

Fiberglass, , is material made from extremely fine fibers of glass. It is used as a reinforcing agent for many polymer products; the resulting composite material, properly known as fiber-reinforced polymer or glass-reinforced plastic , is called "fiberglass" in popular usage....
)
reinforcement of composite and plastic
Plastic

Plastic is the general common term for a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic organic chemistry solid materials suitable for the manufacture of industrial products....
s
specialty papers in battery
Battery (electricity)

In electronics, a battery or voltaic cell is a combination of one or more electrochemical cell Galvanic cells which store chemical energy that can be converted into electric potential energy, creating electricity....
separators and filtration

Metallic fiber
Metallic fiber

Metallic fibers are manufactured fibers composed of metal, plastic-coated metal, metal-coated plastic, or a core completely covered by metal. Gold and silver have been used since ancient times as yarns for fabric decoration....
(1946) is used for:

adding metallic properties to clothing
Clothing

A feature of all human societies, except perhaps the most primitive, is the wearing of clothing or clothes, especially in public. The primary purpose of clothing is functional, as a protection from the weather....
for the purpose of fashion
Fashion

Fashion refers to the styles and customs prevalent at a given time. In its most common usage, "fashion" exemplifies the appearances of clothing, but the term encompasses more....
(usually made with composite plastic and metal foils)
elimination and prevention of static charge build-up
conducting electricity
Electricity

Electricity is a general term that encompasses a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena such as lightning and static electricity, but in addition, less familiar concepts such as the electromagnetic field and electromagnetic induction....
to transmit information
conduction of heat
Heat

In physics and thermodynamics, heat is any transfer of energy from one body or thermodynamic system to another due to a difference in temperature....

In the horticulture industry synthetics are often used in soils to help the plants grow better. Examples are:
expanded polystyrene flakes
urea-formaldehyde foam resin
polyurethane foam
phenolic resin foam

Synthetic fiber

See also