Rayon

Rayon is a manufactured regenerated cellulosic fiber. Rayon

is produced from naturally occurring polymersand therefore
it ot a truly synthetic fiber, nor is it a natural fiber.
Acetate Rayon is a regenerated modified fibre unlike the
other two rayons which are just the regenerated fibres.
It is produced by chemically treating cellulose (a natural
fibre).Therefore it isn’t a natural or a synthetic fibre,instead it
is regarded as a semi-synthetic fibre.A thype of art silk.

Raw Materials

Raw materials should have high cellulose content.The raw

materials used here is:-
1).Wood pulp
2).Cotton linters
In the present era the cost of availability of cotton linters
have led the industries to adopt wood pulp as the principal
source of cellulose.

Manufacturing
 • The available –OH group in cellulose is replaced by
acetate groups.
Basically the fundamental reaction involved here is
ACID + ALCOHOL --> ESTER

 EXTRACTION- Raw material is broken into fluffy

dry cellulose pulp and transferred to steeping room.

 PRETREATMENT- In the steeping room the pulp is

pretreated with acetic acid to activate it for the reaction.

 ACETYLATION- The acetylator is feeded with

cotton linters,acetic anhydride,glacial acetic acid and
conc.H2SO4.Ratio is 1:5:3:0.08 respectively.
Here acetic acid acts as a solvent and conc .H2SO4
acts as a catalyst.
The catalyst used facilitates the reaction as-
 It concentrates at the hydroxals.
 It reacts with cellulose forming–OSO3H.
 This cellulose triacetate sulfate triester is more soluble in
acetylating bath than cellulose triacetate.
This reaction is exothermic so a vessel jacket
containing water is circulated around the acetylator.The
reaction time is 7-8 hrs and the temperature is maintained
between 25-30 deg C.Triacetate (primary acetate) is formed
formed in suspension is called ACID DOPE

 RIPENING-Acid dope is stored in jars for ageing t is

mixed with conc. H2SO4acetic acid or some preswelling
chemicals like glycol ethers for 10-20 hrs.In this phase
 partial conversion of acetate groups to hydroxy groups
takes place.

 CONTROLLED HYDROLYSIS-Mixture is
diluted with acetic acid and water.Acetic acid is to avoid
local precipitation.Acetic acid is to avoid local
precipitation.This is carried out at an elevated
temperature for 10-20 hrs with continuous stirring.Acetic
acid is liberated.Matured cellulose acetate is transferred
to precipitation tanks where solid white flakes of acetate
rayon is generated Acetic acid is liberated.

 WASHING -Cellulose acetate in the form of wet mass

of solid white particles is dropped into a tank known as a
stablizer where hot water and acid remove any
impurity.Diacetate(secondary acetate) is then washed to
free from acid.
White flakes are centrifuged and excess water is
forced out of the cage through perforations keeping up
the required moisture content.

 DRYING AND STORAGE- The flakes are then

dried and stored.

 DISSOLUTION IN ACETONE- Flakes are

dissolved in acetone to yield a liquid known as a
SPINNING DOPE.

.
  FILTERATION- This liquid spinning dope is forced
through a series of high pressure filters where any
undissolved material is removed by densefilter packs.

 SPINNING SOLUTION(DOPE)- The process is

known as a DRY SPINNING process.This solution is
forced through aspinerette into a chamber in which hot
air is circulated.The flow of downward solution is
countercurrent to the passage of hot air.This evaporates
the solventleaving filaments of acetate rayon.

Cellulose acetate fibre can be delustered dy adding TiO2 to

the spinning dough.Finish is applied for lubrication to the
yarn to aid further processing.
FOR PRODUCING TRIACETATE YARN HYDROLYSIS IS NOT DONE
AND THE SPINNING SOLVENT USED IS METHYL CHLORIDE OR
METHANOL INSTEAD OF ACETONE.
• Physical Properties
1).SPECIFIC GRAVITY- 1.32
2).MOISTURE REGAIN%- 6.0
conditioned- 1.2-1.5
3).TENACITYg/denier
wet- 0.7-0.9
4).BREAKING TENSION-
conditioned- 23-30
wet- 30-42
5).KNOT STRENGTH g/denier- 0.9-1.1
6).ELASTIC RECOVERY- 55-65 at 4%extension
7).STIFFNESS-5.5
8).SOFTENING Pt.-375-400 ’F
9).MELTING Pt.- fuses at 500’F
shows thermoplasticity
10).FLAMMABILITY-Slowly combustible.
• Chemical Properties

1).RESISTANCE TO ACIDS-
strong-deteriorates in hot dilute or cold
concentrated mineral acids.
weak-resistant
2).RESISTANCE TO ALKALIS-
strong-saponifies & leaves a regenerated cellulose
fibre.
weak-resistant at low temperatures
3).EFFECT OF OXIDISING AGENT- attacked by
strong.
4).EFFECT OF ORGANIC SOLVENTS- dissolved in
acetone,chloroform etc.
5).RESISTANT TO MILDEW- resistant
6).RESISTANT TO MOTH- resistant
7).RESISTANT TO BLEACHES- resistant to chlorine
and peroxide bleaches if applied in cold under either
slightly acidic/basic condition.
8).EFFECT OF SUNLIGHT- weakens on prolong
exposure.

 DYEING- disperse azoic,developed,vat,acid

and basic dyes
 ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES- good,dielectric
constant 5-0 at 60 c/s 50% RH
 IDENTIFICATION- melts before burning.
-leaves a bead when flame extinguishes.
-soluble in acetone.
-combustion product odour-acetic acid.
 -insoluble in methylene chloride.
-dissolves in cuprammonium hydroxide.
-delustered by boiling water.

• MODIFICATIONS

 FORTISAN-
-cellulose is stretched in stem under pressure.
-stretched yarn is saponified in caustic soda
solution.
-loses strength at 300 ‘F and melts at 350-400
‘F
-decomposes in cold conc./hot dil acids.
-swells in strong alkalis and resistant to cold
weak alkalis.
-resistant to organic solvent.
-relatively resistant to exposure of sunlight but
loses strength on prolonged exposure.
-it burns quickly dissolves in cuprammonium
hydroxide and majorly distinguished by its
HIGH STRENGTH.

 FORTISAN 36-
-super strong type of fortisan.
-very fine and dimensionally stable.
 on wetting loses strength
-resistant to mildew.
-not thermoplastic.

APPLICATIONS-(F,F-36)

• V belts
• Fire hose
• Fuel hose
• Belling
• Coated products
• Ballon fabric
• Fireproof railway truck cover
• Venetian blind tapes

• MARKET POTENTIAL

1).Wipes represent the largest nonwovens

market for rayon. Fabric softeners represent the
second largest, despite rayon's loss of market
share to PET.
2).The biodegradability and compatibility with
both septic tank and main sewage systems
enables them to be used in the manufacture of
disposables.
3).Recent trials have shown that in the sludge
digestion plant where sludge is held for about 3
weeks for cleanup and stabilization prior to
disposal, the rayons biodegrade totally within a
week.
4).Rayon with its unique characteristics has the
potential to become the leading fiber used in the
nowovens industry, if the inherent pollution in
the manufacturing process can be corrected