REGENERATED FIBRES

Viscose Rayon
Polynosic/ Modal /High Wet Modulus Rayon
Lyocel
Acetate & Triacetate
Dr. Prithwiraj Mal
VISCOSE RAYON

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

 ABOUT RAYON

oRayon is the first regenerated fibre.

oThese fibres are all referred as “artificial silk”.

oRayons are the manufactured fibres composed of

regenerated cellulose

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

 ABOUT RAYON

oThe basic principle is to take a natural material that is

not usable in it’s original form and regenerating it into

usable textile

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

 ABOUT RAYON

oWood pulp is the major source of cellulose to produce

viscose rayon and other manufactured cellulosic fibres.

oCotton fibres, especially the short cotton linters, can

also be used.

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

COLOUR

 Rayon fibres are white in colour

SHAPE

 The cross section of regular viscose is circular with serrated

edges.

 Longitudinal lines called the striations are seen along the

length of the fibre

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

oLustre

The lustre of rayon fibre is high

However, the lustre can be subdued by adding TiO2

oSpecific gravity
The specific gravity of viscose rayon in 1.51.

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

 Length

Found in filament and fibre forms

Viscose are manufactured initially in filament form
and then they are cut into staples fibres as per as
requirement

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

 Strength / Tenacity
Strength of viscose rayon is low because of its lower
polymer chain length (when compared to cotton and flax)

There is a considerable decrease in strength when the

fibre is wet

 Therefore, rayon fibre must be handled carefully

during laundering

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

 Elongation, Recovery and Resiliency

Viscose rayon have low modulus i.e. it can be stretched easily

Viscose however, has low recovery and tend to remain

stretched

Resiliency of viscose is poor and will wrinkle badly

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

Absorbency & Moisture Regain

Moisture regain of viscose rayon in 11%

The molecular structure of viscose is more

amorphous making it more absorbent

The absorbency of viscose makes clothing

comfortable to wear

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

 Electrical and heat conductivity
The conductivity of both heat and
electricity of viscose is satisfactory

Therefore, the fibre is reasonable

comfortable in hot weather and does not
build up static electricity

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

 Effect of heat

Viscose fabrics should be ironed at

lower temperature than cotton

Too high ironing temperatures will

produce scorching

Should be ironed at temperatures

below 1750C

The fibre burn with characteristics

similar to those of cotton

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

 Dimensional Stability

Viscose fabrics undergo relaxation

shrinkage during laundering

The amount of shrinkage is fairly high

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

 Abrasion Resistance

The abrasion resistance of viscose rayon is extremely low

The resistance to abrasion decreases when the fibres are

wet

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

REACTION OF VISCOSE WITH CHEMICALS

Chemical Effect on Polyester

Substance
Acid Susceptible to acid due to its amorphous
structure. Acid attacks viscose more readily
than cotton and flax.
Alkali Susceptible to damage from base

Bleaching agents Bleaching not required but can be bleached with

oxidizing agents

Organic Solvent No effect

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

 Sunlight and weather resistance

Exposure to sunlight will deteriorate viscose rayon

more rapidly than cotton, therefore, should not be
used products which are exposed to sunlight

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

 Uses

Apparel (lingerie to suit)

Can be used as P/V, C/V blends for

knits and towels

 Care

Dry cleaning is usually recommended because of

its low strength, low abrasion resistance and
low dimensional stability while laundering

Low ironing temperature should be used

for ironing

Bleaching should be controlled carefully

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal
 QUESTIONS
 State whether the following are True / False
Viscose is amorphous
Viscose fibre is hydrophilic in nature
Viscose have very good abrasion resistance
The wet strength of viscose is more than the dry strength
Viscose is having a good resistance to both acid and alkali
Viscose rayon is a very resistant to sunlight
 Discuss the physical properties of viscose

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

POLYNOSIC / MODAL /
HIGH-WET MODULUS RAYON

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

ABOUT POLYNOSIC

 A Japanese researcher, S. Tachikawa, modified the viscose to

develop a fibre with a physical structure more like that of cotton

 These rayons are known as high-wet-modulus (HWM)

 The other names of HWM are polynosic rayon and modal

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

 Like viscose and cotton, modal/polynosic/HWM rayon are
composed of cellulose

 HWM fibres have longer polymer chains and more crystalline

than viscose but still less than that of cotton

 HWM have greater resistance to deformation to wet

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
 Colour

HWM rayons are white in colour

 Shape

Same as that of viscose

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

 Lustre

The lustre is high

However, the lustre can be subdued by adding TiO2

 Specific gravity

HWM has a specific gravity of 1.51

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

 Strength / Tenacity

HWM rayon have higher strength than viscose

Wet strength is also high

However, the wet strength of HWM is less than dry

strength

 Elasticity & Resiliency

Elastic recovery & Resiliency of HWM is better than viscose

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

Absorbency & Moisture Regain

Absorbency is similar to viscose

rayon

MR = 11%

Dimensional Stability

This fibres do not shrink or stretch excessively

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

 Electrical and Heat conductivity

The conductivity of both heat and

electricity of HWM is satisfactory
------ Similar to Viscose

Therefore, the fibre is reasonable

comfortable in hot weather and does
not build up static electricity

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

 Effect of heat

 Can tolerate ironing temperatures slightly higher than those

suitable for cotton

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

REACTION OF MODAL WITH CHEMICALS

Chemical Effect on Polyester

Substance
Acid Susceptible to acid.

Alkali Excellent

Bleaching agents Bleaching not required but can be bleached with

oxidizing agents

Organic Solvent No effect

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

 Effect of sunlight and weather

 Although these fibres deteriorate by sunlight, but

they resist sun better than viscose rayon

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

 Uses

Extensively used for apparels

Knit tops

Lingerie

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

ACETATE & TRI-ACETATE

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

About Acetate

 Cellulose acetate was used as a coating for the fabric wings of

World War I airplanes

 After World War I, modification was made into a fibre with high
lustre and excellent draping qualities.

 The fibre was known at time as “acetate silk”

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

About Acetate

 Cellulose acetate and triacetate are classified as “derivative

cellulose fibres”, whereas rayons and lyocell are “regenerated

cellulosic fibre”

 The modification makes the acetate fibres “thermoplastic”

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

 Physical Properties

Colour
 Both acetate and triacetate are white unless pigments are
added during fibre spinning

Shape
 Acetate and triacetate have similar microscopic appearance

 Both fibres are transluscent and have irregular, multi-lobed

cross-section

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

Lustre
 Both acetate and triacetate have good lustre and can be
delustered

Specific gravity
 Specific gravity of acetate and tri-acetate are 1.32 and 1.3
respectively

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

Strength / Tenacity

Both acetate and tri-acetate have low strength

Both are weaker wet than dry

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

Elasticity, Elongation and Resiliency

Both fibres have low modulus i.e. both of them are

easily stretchable (similar to rayon and less than
cotton)

Triacetate have better recovery and resiliency than

acetate

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

 Absorbency and Moisture Regain

Acetate have a MR of 6.5% whereas triacetate

have 3.5%

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

 Heat and Thermal Conductivity

Both acetate and triacetate fibres are neither good

conductor of heat nor good conductor of electricity

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

 Effect of heat

Both acetate and tri-acetate will melt on

application of heat

Therefore, acetate and tri-acetate are

thermoplastic

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

o Dimensional Stability

Acetate fabrics exhibit relaxation

shrinkage on laundering

Triacetate fabrics are good resistant

to shrinkage

However, high temperature cause the

fabric to shrink

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

Abrasion resistance

Neither acetate nor triacetate is

abrasion resistant

Should not be used for items where

durability is important criteria

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

 CHEMICAL PROPERTIES

 Effect of Acid

Fairly resistant to acids

 Effect on Alkali

Fairly resistant to bases

However, acetate are affected with strong bases

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

 Effect of Bleaches

Acetate and triacetate can be bleached with oxygen bleaches

 Effect of organic solvents

Acetate and triacetate are soluble in organic solvents

So, acetate and tri-acetates should not be drycleaned

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

 Resistance to micro-organism

Mildew will attack and will discolour acetate and triacetate

if kept in soiled condition

Moths do not attack acetate or tri-acetate

 Resistance to sunlight

Extended exposure in sunlight will deteriorate the fibre

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

LYOCELL FIBRE

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

LYOCELL
 This is a man-made cellulosic fibre

 The raw material of lyocell is wood pulp

 Also named as “TENCEL”

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal

PROPERTIES

 Tencel have smooth cross-section

 It is a high strength, high modulus fibre with a high

degree of crystallinity

 Dry strength is more than the wet strength

 Tencel is closer to cotton than to rayon in its

characteristics
Dr. Prithwiraj Mal
USES
 TENCEL is used in men’s and women’s apparel

Shirts

Blouses

Pants

Dresses

 Also used in some household textiles

Dr. Prithwiraj Mal