Acrylic fiber

Acrylic fibers are synthetic fibers made from a polymer (polyacrylonitrile) with an average molecular weight of ~100,000, about 1900 monomer units. To be called acrylic in the U.S, the polymer must contain at least 85% acrylonitrile monomer. Typical comonomers are vinyl acetate or methyl acrylate. The Dupont Corporation created the first acrylic fibers in 1941 and trademarked them under the name "Orlon". [1]

Production
The polymer is formed by free-radical polymerization in aqueous suspension. The fiber is produced by dissolving the polymer in a solvent such as N,N-dimethylformamide or aqueous sodium thiocyanate, metering it through a multi-hole spinnerette and coagulating the resultant filaments in an aqueous solution of the same solvent (wet spinning) or evaporating the solvent in a stream of heated inert gas (dry spinning). Washing, stretching, drying and crimping complete the processing. Acrylic fibers are produced in a range of deniers, typically from 2 to 15, as cut staple or as a 500,000 to 1 million filament tow. End uses include sweaters, hats, hand-knitting yarns, rugs, awnings, boat covers, and upholstery; the fiber is also used as a precursor for carbon fiber. Production of acrylic fibers is centered in the Far East, declining in Europe and now shut down (except for precursor) in the U.S. Former U.S. brands of acrylic were Acrilan (Monsanto), Creslan (American Cyanamid), and Orlon (DuPont).

Textile uses
Acrylic is lightweight, soft, and warm, with a wool-like feel. Acrylic is colored before it is turned into a fiber as it does not dye very well but has excellent colorfastness. Its fibers are not very resilient, and wrinkle easily, but most acrylic fabrics have good wrinkle resistance. Acrylic has recently been used in clothing as a less expensive alternative to cashmere, due to the similar feeling of the materials. The disadvantages of acrylic are that it tends to fuzz or pill easily and that it does not insulate the wearer as well as wool or cashmere. Many products, like fakepashmina or cashmina, use this fiber to create the illusion of cashmere. Acrylic is resistant to moths, oils, chemicals, and is very resistant to deterioration from sunlight exposure. However, static and pilling can be a problem. Acrylic has a bad reputation amongst many crafters who knit or crochet; acrylic yarn may be perceived as "cheap" because it is typically priced lower than its natural counterparts. The fiber requires heat to "block" or set the shape of the finished garment, and it isn't as warm as alternatives like wool. Some knitters also complain that the fiber "squeaks" when knitted. On the

other hand, it can be useful in certain items, like garments for babies, which require constant washing, because it is machine-washable.
Acrylic can irritate the skin of people with dermatological conditions such as eczema.

ACRYLIC FIBRES
Significance
Irreplaceable in the apparel sector

Acrylic is another man-made fibre where development in Germany paralleled that in the USA. In Germany it came on the scene in 1942 and since 1954 has been manufactured on a large scaleby Bayer as the first producer in Europe. 75 % of acrylic fibres are used in apparel, 20% in home furnishing and 5% in industrial end-uses. In apparel the acrylic fibres are used, for instance, in jumpers, waistcoats, cardigans, jackets, socks, kneehigh stockings, training and jogging suits, either pure or in blends for example with wool. The modacrylic fibre, a modified form of acrylic, is found in flame-retardant garments, children's and baby wear, and in dolls clothes and soft toys. In the year 2009 166,000 tons of acrylic fibres were produced in Germany.

The fibre
Mostly as a crimped staple fibre

Both dry and wet spinning processes are used to make acrylic fibres. In the dry-spinning process the spinning mass emerges from the spinneret into a spinning chamber, into which warm air is blown. In wet spinning the spin mass is pressed into a so-called coagulating bath. The largest proportion of the production is made and used as crimped staple fibre. On care labels the acrylic fibre is often designated as "PAN" and the modacrylic as "MAC".

Properties
Ideal for blends with wool

Main properties of acrylic fibres: Feels like wool, with high bulk. Very good heat retention and fastness to light.

Very good shape retention, durability, easy care and quick dry qualities. Qualities such as its wool-like feel and bulk make it pre-destined for use in the knitwear sector. The positive features of acrylic fibres come into their own when they are blended with a suitable proportion of wool or other natural fibres: the wool needs practically no additional finishing, does not felt when washed and is significantly easier to care for. With sportswear, training and jogging suits particularly benefit from the special advantages of acrylic fibres - be it pure or blended: low water absorption, quicker water transport, light and weather resistance.

Acrylic Fibre Technology

In cooperation with a process licensor with many years experience in this field ENCO Engineering is offering the technology for acrylic fibre production, including polymerisation, spinning and fibreline.

PROCESS HIGHLIGHTS
For spinning a wet-spinning process is used, with dimethyl formamide as a solvent. The process has the following advantages against a dry-spinning process:

High range of denier counts, from denier 1.2 to denier 20 Tow-to-top application, producing the most wool-like fibres Low energy consumption and low nitrogen consumption Less explosion hazards Less health and environmental hazards

PROCESS
The acrylic process is a "one step technology", with the following main characteristics:

polymerization in solution direct feeding of the dope to spinning wet spinning DMF as solvent for both polymerization and spinning

PLANT CAPACITIES
The standard capacity for one single fibreline is 22'500 tons/year, with six tows, based on 3 den.l

PRODUCT SPECIFICATION

Standard fibres from 1.2 to 15 - 20 den, as tow or staple, cotton or wool type Microfibres 0.6 to 0.8 den Fully relaxed fibres, tow or staple High bulk fibres, staple Gel dyed fibres, tow or staple Hydrophilic fibres, tow or staple

PROCESS CONVERSION
Additional to its application in new plants the process can also be used for the conversion of dry spinning plants or for conversion of wet-spinning plants with nitric acid solvent to DMF wet-spinning. As a result substantially lower production costs are achieved, with the possibility to produce a bigger range of products.

DIAGRAMS

PRIYANSHU JAIN SHUBHAM LAKHOTIA MOHIT ARORA RISHABH NIHAL JAIN Class-VIII-D