Textile Fiber Microscopy

5Synthetic Fibers

Synthetic fibers are petroleum‐based fibers, produced entirely from chemical substances. These fibers, synthesized from petrochemicals, are made from a synthetic polymer and specifically engineered to have certain desirable properties. Synthetic fibers can be manufactured as both staple and filament. Synthetic fibers differ from regenerated manufactured fibers that are plant based such as rayon made from cellulose. Synthetic fibers are petroleum based such as polyester. Manufactured regenerated cellulosic fibers have been called first‐generation fibers because they were the first manufactured fibers. Synthetic fibers have been called second‐generation fibers, and microfibers have been called third‐generation fibers. Microfibers are modifications of second‐generation fibers (discussed in Section 5.17). The “big five” petroleum‐based synthetic fibers are nylon, polyester, acrylic, spandex, and olefin (Gail Baugh [textile expert – San Francisco State University], personal communication 19 September 2017).

5.1 Nylon

The first synthetic fiber, nylon, was developed by Wallace Carothers, an American researcher who worked at the DuPont chemical company in 1930. It was a perfect time for nylon to debut as the United States was in the middle of World War II, and nylon, a fiber of high strength, could be used in military parachutes and ropes. Nylon replaced silk that was becoming scarce during wartime and was not as durable for parachute use. However, it also became popular ...