Rayon fibers, description

In the original process the cellulose nitrate itself was used as the fiber (hence its satirical description as mother-in-law silk ). The regenerating agent is ammonium hydrosulfide. The basic process was first demonstrated by J. W. Swan in London in 1885 but commercialized by Count L. M. H. B. de Chardonnet ( Father of the rayon industry ) in France in 1891 and operated there until 1934. The last working factory, that in Brazil, was burnt down in 1949. The other processes for making rayon fibers by regenerating cellulose ( viscose, cupram-monium) gave superior products. See also Rayon. 

In this chapter we will elaborate on recent advances in dissolution and derivatization of cellulose and follow up with a description of new processes that lead to regenerated cellulose fibers. Finally, we will describe viscose processes and rayon fiber properties. 

The reinforcement of rubbers using nylon, rayon, vinyl, and polyester fibers was reported by various authors [10,58,73-75]. Because of the design flexibility and suitable end-use applications, high-performance fibers such as glass, carbon, and aramid also find extensive applications in short fiber-reinforced mbbers. A brief description of some of the major high-performance fibers commonly used in short fiber-rubber composites is given below ... 

PULP (Wood) PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING. Pulps can be defined as fibrous products derived from cellulosic fiber-contaiumg materials and used in the production of hardboard, fiberboard, paperboard, paper, and molded-pulp products. With suitable chemical modification, pulps can be used in Hie manufacture of rayon, cellulose acetate, and other familiar products. Pulps can be produced from any material containing cellulosic fiber but in North America and several other regions of the world, wood is the predominant source of pulp. This description is confined to the production and processing of wood pulp,... 

Descriptions of the chemical and physical properties of rayon can be found (3, 43). Rayons have good resistance to dry-cleaning solvents, and both oxidizing and reducing bleaches may be used with suitable precaution (31). Perspiration can degrade the fibers on prolonged exposure. 

---