Silk Fibre Chemistry

For Runge, all elements in an experiment come to expression. He notes that the fibre that is to be dyed is not just a mechanical vehicle to which the colour simply adheres. It is rather an essential component, and that is why cotton, linen, silk and wool react so differently to dyestuffs.18 In an analysis of the properties of gold in Basic Lessons in Chemistry for Everyone Runge notes that gold is the most ductile metal, for a single grain can be drawn out to a 50-foot strand of wire. 

The beginnings of basic research at BASF were somewhat hesitant and still related to the needs of dyestuffs chemistry. In collaboration with Hans Fikentscher, Curt Schuster and W. Biilow, K.H. Meyer established the physical and chemical principles of the dyeing process of cellulose acetate and nitrate, silk, and wool. This research ran parallel to the efforts of the laboratory to invent dyestuffs for the new artificial fibres, such as cellulose acetate (rayon). 

In the mid twenties several circumstances permitted a revised orientation of both content and style of areas of research at the Central Research Laboratory. In 1925 the Technical Committee (TEA) of I.G. Farben discussed the possibilities for producing artificial fibres. At this time, I.G. Farben was the second largest producer of artificial fibres in Germany. Therefore polymer chemistry became more important for the company at the same time as dyestuffs chemistry lost its former position. However, the science of synthetic, semi-synthetic and natural polymers was not yet established in the same way as structural chemistry was for organic dyestuffs, pharmaceuticals, and intermediates. Colloid chemists regarded substances such as cellulose, silk, and wool as... 

Hermann Staudinger, there has been an increasing development of these materials for numerous apphcations, including textiles. Polyamide 6.6 fibre (nylon), developed by Du Pont de Nemours in 1938, was a revolution in clothing and mihtary uses. This fibre, the functional characteristics of which are rather close to silk, has exceptional tenacity, flexibihty and lightness. With the progress of macromolecular chemistry at that time, it was the first of a long series of diverse synthetic fibres. 

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