Synthetic chemical fiber polyolefin

Fibers from synthetic polymers make up approximately 80% of the total production of chemical fibers in Germany and about 90% worldwide (2000). The most important synthetic fibers are polyamide (Wulfhorst, 1997), polyester (Tetzlafi", 1997), and polyacrylonitrile (Wulfhorst, 1998). Because of their very specific properties, polyvinyl chloride (Koch, 1968), polytetrafluoroethylene, polyolefin fibers (such as polyethylene and polypropylene) (Wulfhorst, 1989b), and polyvinyl alcohol are used mostly for technical textiles. At the end of this section, an overview is given of synthetic polymers featuring the chemical structures, specific properties, and various applications (Table 2.7). The physical characteristics of chemical fibers from synthetic polymers are summarized later in Table 2.8. 

The world textile industry is one of the largest consumers of dyestuffs. An understanding of the chemistry of textile fibers is necessary to select an appropriate dye from each of the several dye classes so that the textile product requirements for proper shade, fastness, and economics are achieved. The properties of some of the more commercially important natural and synthetic fibers are briefly discussed in this section. The natural fibers may be from plant sources (such as cotton and flax), animal sources (such as wool and silk), or chemically modified natural materials (such as rayon and acetate fibers). The synthetic fibers include nylon, polyester, acrylics, polyolefins, and spindex. The various types of fiber along with the type of dye needed are summarized in Table 8.2. 

Chemical or synthetic fibers are further classified into regenerated and synthetic fibers. Regenerated or semisynthetic fibers are produced from natural products by a chemical procedure or modification. These fibers can, for example, be rayon, acetate silk, and alginate fibers. In contrast, synthetic fibers are completely synthesized from other raw materials, and may, for example, consist of polyesters, polyamides, poly(acrylonitrile), polyolefins, or glass. 

In this survey, commercially important textile fibers are grouped by their origin. First there are the natural fibers from plant sources, cotton and flax, and those from animal sources, wool and silk. A second group consists of those fibers that are regenerated or chemically modified natural materials—the rayon and acetate fibers. The final group consists of the synthetic fibers, which include nylon, polyester, acrylics, polyolefins, and spandex. 

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