Natural Fibers Corporation

Fluorochemicals. Fluorochemicals are the most important class of repellents for textiles. They are the only repellents that provide repellency to water, waterborne stains, oil, oilbome stains, and oily particulates. The various products have a variety of repellency and durabiHty properties for certain fabrics, and the specific compositions ate proprietary. The first company to market fluorochemical repellents was 3M iu the 1950s (Scotchgard Fabric Protector), followed by DuPont (Zepel and Teflon Fabric Protectors). Several other companies such as Autalux Corporation, Ciba Specialties, Eastern Color Chemical, Glo-Tex Chemicals, IVAX Industries, Liadley Laboratories, NICCA U.S.A, Piedmont Chemical, Sedgefield Specialties, Sequa Chemicals, and Yorkshire Pat-Chem also market such finishes (17). Fluorochemical finish appHcation areas include rainwear, upholstery, drapery, and automotive fabrics, roofing materials, and carpeting. Both natural and synthetic textile fibers can be treated. 

The first carbonization of cellulose-based fibers dates back to Thomas Edison, who carbonized a natural cellulose filament for use as an incandescent lamp filament. In the mid-1950s, the Carbon Wool Corporation introduced the first commercial carbonized rayon fibers (79). PAN- and pitch-based carbon fibers have replaced rayon-based fibers in most high performance applications however, they continue to find use as ablative materials in missile nosecones and heat shielding (16). Additionally, the combination of low cost, ease of handling, and high natural porosity makes rayon an attractive precursor for activated carbon fibers (see CELLULOSE Fibers, Regenerated). 

From the moment of conception of phosphate fibers, during all research and development of phosphate fibers, it was our expressed purpose to deliver a safe, useful, inexpensive mineral fiber to society. It cannot be questioned that our mission was noble. A profit motive existed a corporation ceases to exist when there is no profit, but profit motive was not the driving force behind this project. Because of our mission it would be both deceitful and cowardly to ignore safety issues that deal with natural asbestos. These issues will be considered for comparison to phosphate fibers when it is deemed necessary. If there were no safety issues a Phosphate Fibers Project should never have existed. Properties built into phosphate fibers, to insure their utility and safety, were chosen to overcome the problems associated with asbestos. The properties of the phosphate fibers must be compared with natural serpentine minerals, both negatively and positively, if this book is to serve a useful purpose. 

---