Do you know the six major chemical fibers? Polyester, acrylic, nylon, polypropylene, vinylon, spandex. Here is a brief introduction to their respective characteristics.
Polyester fiber is known for its high strength, good impact resistance, heat resistance, corrosion resistance, moth resistance, acid and alkali resistance. It also has very good lightfastness, second only to acrylics. After 1000 hours of exposure, polyester fibers retain 60-70% of their strong durability. It has poor hygroscopicity and is difficult to dye, but the fabric is easy to wash and quick-drying and has good shape retention. This makes it ideal for “wash and wear” textiles. Filament uses include low-elastic yarns for various textiles, while short fibers can be blended with cotton, wool, linen, etc. Industrially, polyester is used in tire cord, fishing nets, ropes, filter cloth and insulation.
Nylon, on the other hand, is prized for its strength and abrasion resistance, making it the best fiber for such properties. Its density is low, the fabric is light in weight, has good elasticity and resistance to fatigue damage. It also has good chemical stability and alkali resistance, but not acid resistance. However, its resistance to sunlight is poor, and long-term exposure will cause the fabric to turn yellow and reduce its strength. While hygroscopicity is not its strong suit, it still outperforms acrylic and polyester in this regard. Nylon is often used as filament in the knitting and silk industries, and short fiber is often blended with wool or wool-type chemical fibers for gabardine, vanillin, etc. Nylon is used industrially to make ropes, fishing nets, carpets, ropes, conveyor belts and screens.
Acrylic is often called “synthetic wool” because its properties are very similar to wool. It has good thermal elasticity and low density, smaller than wool, giving the fabric excellent warmth. Acrylic also has very good sunlight and weather resistance, ranking first in this regard. However, it has poor hygroscopicity and is difficult to dye.
Post time: Jul-23-2024