Synthetic fibers polypropylene

Total consumption of nonwovens in 2001 was around 3 million tons and was thought to be growing to about 4 million tons by 2005. Ninetynine percent of all nonwovens are made from synthetic fibers. Polypropylene predominates (63%), with polyester being second (23%) and viscose rayon third (7%). 

Physical Properties. Table 1 (2) shows that olefin fibers differ from other synthetic fibers in two important respects (/) olefin fibers have very low moisture absorption and thus excellent stain resistance and almost equal wet and dry properties, and (2) the low density of olefin fibers allows a much lighter weight product at a specified size or coverage. Thus one kilogram of polypropylene fiber can produce a fabric, carpet, etc, with much more fiber per unit area than a kilogram of most other fibers. 

The 1997 U.S. propylene demand ws 31 billion pounds and most of it was used to produce polypropylene polymers and copolymers (about 46%). Other large volume uses are acrylonitrile for synthetic fibers (Ca 13%), propylene oxide (Ca 10%), cumene (Ca 8%) and oxo alcohols (Ca 7%). ... 

Polymer films can be made antistatic with a-sulfonated fatty acid salts and esters [94]. For example, an antistatic additive for polypropylene manufacture can be prepared from potassium methyl a-sulfopalmitate, styrene oligomer, and 2-propanol [95]. The treatment of synthetic fibers and fabrics with a-sulfo-... 

Other sources of fibers include cotton rags and linters, flax, hemp, bagasse, tobacco, and synthetic fibers such as polypropylene. These substances are not used widely, however, as they are typically for low-volume, specialty grades of paper. 

Contrary to other synthetic fiber materials, polypropylene fibers cannot be colored by contacting them with an aqueous solution or dispersion of organic dyes. Due to its highly apolar nature, polypropylene is not able to interact with conventional dye molecules, so that it cannot take up any dye from the dye bath. 

Mixed waste paper can also be utilized for uses other than paper. The uses include (1) molding of paper fibers mixed with PE or polypropylene to form door panels, trunk liners, and plastic lumber (2) nonwoven mats of up to 90% paper fibers held together by synthetic fibers and (3) composites of wood, paper fiber, and gypsum. 

Synthetic fibers are usually polyesters or polyamides. The most important synthetic fibers are dacron, nylon, orlon, and polypropylene (primarily used for upholstery). 

New trends involve the use of nanoparticles in synthetic fibers. Polymer-layered silicates, nanotubes, and POSS have been successfully introduced in a number of textile fibers, mainly poly-amide-6, polypropylene, and polyester. Although they reduce the flammability of these fibers, but on their own are not effective enough to confer flame retardancy to a specified level. However, in presence of small amounts of selected conventional FRs (5-10 wt %), synergistic effect can be achieved. With this approach fibers having multifunctional properties can also be obtained, e.g., water repellency or antistatic properties along with fire retardancy. Most of the work in this area at present is on the lab scale and there is a potential to take this forward to a commercial scale. 

A pertinent example of the application of Werner s coordination complexes to the coloring of synthetic fibers is exhibited in the case of polypropylene fibers containing nickel. The minute nickel particles have been evenly dispersed throughout the fiber by a chelate stabilizer/ so that upon dyeing with azo disperse dyes bearing the same o-substituents, as noted above, a fast deep color is formed (4)- This example,... 

The plastics industry and all the products made from plastics are almost entirely dependent on chemicals extracted or produced from hydrocarbons. This includes not only the familiar materials such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), epoxies, nylon, polyesters, polycarbonate. Teflon and Plexiglas, but also includes a large portion of materials made from rubber and a diverse group of other materials formulated from polymers such as tape, glue, ink, waterproofing, wax, and polishes. Virtually all the synthetic fibers used in textile products, Orion , Dacron , Nylon and polyesters are made from polymers based on hydrocarbons. 

A more recent example of the rise and decline of an important product is rayon. As the first mass-produced synthetic fiber, it had phenomenal growth between World War I and II, capturing a large share of the cotton and silk markets. Competition from nylon and polyesters as well as improved cotton products, caused rayon s popularity to wane, resulting in a very small share of the total fiber market. Cellophane is another product that lost its market share—in this case to polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, and polypropylene wrapping films. 

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