Greetings, dear reader! Today I propose to talk about one of the most popular fabrics - viscose. Why did she win the hearts of consumers so much? What kind of “pie” is this and what do you eat it with? Let's figure it out together.
1. History of the creation of viscose; 2. Technological process for the production of viscose; 3. What is viscose?; 4. Types of viscose fabrics; 5. Advantages and disadvantages of viscose fabric; 6. Use of viscose fabric; 7. Care of viscose; 8. Customer reviews.
History of the creation of viscose
The process of making viscose is progressive and lasted almost 50 years. The first description of the production of viscose fabric was made in 1844 by the Englishman J. Mercer, and the first to patent ready-made viscose fabric were the English chemists C.F. Cross and E. D. Bevan in 1893. They also gave the name to the fabric viscose, meaning “viscose”, since the raw material for production is a thick, viscous mass made from recycled wood cellulose. It is worth noting that the Russian chemist D.I. Mendeleev expressed respect for the new technology for obtaining raw materials and highly appreciated the merits of English scientists.
Sellers' tricks
- When people say “bamboo fabric” or “fabric obtained from the wood of the sacred full moon sequoia tree,” they mean viscose obtained from the wood . Perhaps even bamboo.
- Do not be surprised by the wonderful technology of wood processing, which made it possible to weave socks from it. The wood was crushed, dissolved, and cellulose (viscose) threads were squeezed out of the resulting solution through a special sieve.
- Sellers talk about the unique absorbent properties of “bamboo fabrics.” That's right, viscose absorbs 2 times better than cotton.
Technological process for the production of viscose
Of course, since 1893, the process of producing viscose fabric has changed, and the technology has been modernized in many ways. Without going into depth, you can get viscose by describing four main stages:
- By crushing the wood into small chips and boiling it in an alkaline solution at high temperature, a base is obtained;
- By squeezing the mass through tiny holes in a special plate into a container with acid, threads are formed;
- Next comes the finishing stage;
- The final stage is drying.
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WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS TOPIC?
What is viscose?
Very often people ask: “Is viscose a natural fabric or synthetic?” It's time to answer this question. But first, let me clarify that by artificial fiber we mean fiber that was created by man from artificial raw materials, but natural fiber is based on raw materials created by nature, for example, sheep wool or silkworm threads. As you already understood from the history of the origin of viscose, it is obtained from a natural product - wood, but using special chemical solutions, which is why there is a stable expression: “Viscose is an artificial product, but created on the basis of natural raw materials.”
Viscose appearance.
As practice shows, viscose may not consist of 100% wood cellulose, but may have various additives, both synthetic and natural. Therefore, the material directly depends on the composition. For example:
- 100% viscose . It is soft and delicate to the touch, but not durable;
- Viscose with elastane . This composition makes the fabric elastic;
- Viscose with polyester . Makes the fabric very durable;
- Viscose with cotton . This combination adds strength to the fabric, just like with polyester, but does not reduce its environmental qualities.
Originally from Old Church Slavonic
The origin of the word “fiber” is associated with the Old Slavonic “vlakno”. This word exists in modern Bulgarian, Czech, Slovak, and Serbian languages. It is found with a slight phonetic difference in Polish - wlOkno. There is a related concept in ancient Indian: valkas, which means “bast”.
In the Russian language, changes occurred in this lexical unit as a result of the alternation of vowels: OLO-LA. Since "fiber" is a dictionary word, its spelling needs to be memorized.
To get an idea of what fibers are as a material classification, let's take a closer look at their types.
Types of viscose fabrics
Conventionally, viscose can be divided into three types: staple fiber, cord thread and viscose silk, and this division depends on the production method and the resulting qualities of the viscose fabric. Staple fiber is mainly used for sewing insulated clothing, blankets and carpets. Cord thread is used for high-quality fabric, and viscose silk is used for sewing bedding (pillowcases, sheets, duvet covers). Depending on the raw materials and the processing technology used, the following types of fabrics are distinguished:
- Tencel . This fabric originates from eucalyptus cellulose. Tencel feels silky and soft to the touch. Has a solid structure. It is used to make both casual clothing and bedding.
Appearance of Tencel fabric.
- Modal . Despite the fact that the fabric consists of 100% cellulose, it has all the qualities of cotton, so you can also sew clothes and bed linen from it. Such properties are achieved through weaving.
Appearance of modal fabric.
- Acetate . Acetate is made from cellulose waste. In appearance, this fabric resembles silk, but this is only in appearance. In fact, acetate is quite fragile, does not allow air to pass through well and practically does not absorb moisture. It is used for lining materials.
The appearance of the fabric is acetate.
- Cupra . The production of this material is not simple, it has its own technological features and difficulties, so it is one of the most valuable and high-quality. Cupra has good breathability, thermoregulation and durability, but it is difficult to care for. It makes great evening wear.
Appearance of cupra fabric.
- Siblon . The fabric is made from cellulose from coniferous trees. It is durable, hardly shrinks or wrinkles, is relatively cheap to produce, and is therefore widely used by consumers. It is mainly used for the production of textile fabrics.
Appearance of siblon fabric.
What are the differences?
Artificial and natural silk are comparable in many ways. For example, viscose material is also soft and pleasant to the body, folds beautifully in waves, and is slightly electrified. Acetate has less strength, does not absorb moisture well, sticks when heated, and becomes electrified.
Synthetic materials are the least similar to natural silk. Nylon, polyester and polyacrylic are lightweight fabrics with a shiny, smooth surface. But they feel completely different to the touch, and things made from them are by no means as comfortable. Synthetics tend to accumulate electricity, shed quickly, and are easily flammable.
We hope you now understand the difference between real and artificial silk, and if necessary, you can easily distinguish a fake using one of the methods described.
This is interesting: Fabric for a wedding dress: types, how to choose, descriptions
Advantages and disadvantages of viscose fabric
You already know that there are many varieties of viscose, but we will consider the characteristics of 100% viscose without the addition of other fibers. So, viscose has the following qualities:
- Does not cause allergies;
- Has pleasant tactile properties;
- Does not accumulate static electricity;
- Has high breathability and thermal conductivity;
- Holds color for a long time;
- Drapes beautifully.
Like all fabrics, viscose is also not without its drawbacks. For example, it has strong creaseability; viscose requires special care, because... If the material is not properly cared for, the products may become deformed and shrink, as well as become covered in pellets. Another important disadvantage is the wear period: viscose quickly loses its original appearance from ultraviolet rays. It is worth noting that manufacturers are struggling with the disadvantages presented above by adding other fibers.
Synthetic threads
What fibers of synthetic origin are can be understood by studying their nature. They are produced through chemical synthesis from monomers, that is, low molecular weight substances. As a result, synthetic polymers are formed. The raw materials for nylon, lavsan, acrylic, crimplen, acetate silk are products of processing of coal, oil, and gas. These fiber threads have high strength, low creasing and shrinkage, but are not hygroscopic.
The variety of properties of polymers, the ability to vary them, as well as the availability of raw materials are incentives for the development of the production of synthetic fibers.
Viscose care
I repeat that viscose requires special care, so if you want to preserve things for as long as possible without losing their appearance, you should bother:
- It is advisable to wash viscose products by hand, but if, due to certain circumstances, this is not possible, then use only the “delicate cycle” in machine wash.
- It is better not to wring out washed items too much, but to hang them semi-damp on the dryer and let the remaining water drain on its own, because... strong pressure during push-ups will negatively affect the shape of the product.
- After the water has drained, it is better to continue drying viscose items in a horizontal position for the same purpose, to avoid stretching and deformation.
- Under no circumstances should you iron things with an iron at high temperatures; use the minimum settings, or iron through wet gauze.
As you can see, in order to use viscose items in everyday life, you will need to face certain difficulties and inconveniences. But for the sake of a beautiful outfit, it may be worth being patient. In any case, the choice is always yours.
Cellulose acetate man-made fibers
This group includes acetate and triacetate fibers. These fibers are soft and look like natural silk. They retain their shape well, do not wrinkle, and are light-resistant. But their strength is lower than that of viscose. Among the disadvantages, it is necessary to note low hygroscopicity, low abrasion resistance, poor paintability and electrification.
Acetate fibers have low thermal conductivity. Therefore, they are used when sewing warm underwear. Their heat resistance is low (80-90 ° C). Such fabrics can be washed gently at 30°C.
Triacetate fibers have high elasticity. Thanks to this, products made from them retain their pleats and corrugations even after washing. In addition, they do not require ironing. Unlike acetate fibers, triacetate fibers are better dyed and heat resistant (150-160 ° C). Therefore, fabrics made from them can be washed as usual at a temperature of 70 °C. But their hygroscopicity is even lower than that of acetate.
Properties of natural fibers
Such threads have a number of qualities: low weight and cost, high specific strength and specific rigidity. These properties have made them particularly attractive for many different industrial applications. All natural fibers are not thermoplastic - they do not lose their shape or soften when heated. At temperatures below the point of decomposition and disintegration, they exhibit little sensitivity to dry heat and do not shrink or exhibit high elongation when heated, nor do they become brittle when cooled to temperatures below freezing. But when exposed to sunlight and moisture, natural fibers tend to turn yellow. Long-term exposure leads to loss of strength.
All natural fibers are particularly susceptible to microbial decomposition, including mold and rot. Cellulose fibers are decomposed by aerobic bacteria (derived energy from oxygen) and fungi. They disintegrate under high humidity, high temperatures and especially in the absence of light. Termites and silverfish are also dangerous to cellulose.
Wool and silk are not only susceptible to microbial decomposition by bacteria and mold, but also to damage from moths and carpet beetles.
Properties of mineral fibers
What are mineral fibers and what are their properties? Most forms of asbestos are, for all practical purposes, inert. This is the quality that makes it so desirable in the industry. Asbestos is insoluble in water and in organic solvents, it has enormous heat resistance, thermal and electrical resistance, does not ignite, and its tensile strength exceeds that of steel. Asbestos fibers have no noticeable odor or taste. They are more often used as fillers in heat-insulating and fire-retardant materials.
Basalt tape
Basalt tape is a strip of basalt fabric used to insulate objects that can be wrapped like a bandage. It can perform the tasks of tightening and bandaging where heat-resistant material is needed, or it can be a heat insulator, preventing heat loss, say, when coolant passes through small-diameter pipes. It can also be useful as a heat-resistant electrical insulator. Basalt tape is also used as a sealant.
Operating temperature range from -200 to +600, +700 degrees. There are tapes with a guarantee of up to +1200 degrees, which cannot but surprise if you know that the melting point of basalt is lower than this figure. (Or it's silica tape, and the seller doesn't know.)
Of course, all derivatives made from basalt are resistant to aggressive chemicals.
are supplied in coils, the width of the tape is from 30 to 50 mm, the length is variable, it happens that they are packaged in 10, 15 meters, a coil can be 50 m. In general, dimensions and prices depend on the manufacturer.
Basalt tape for muffler
Basalt tape for a muffler is most often used to prevent the gases inside the pipe from cooling. We will not take sides on the effectiveness of this trick for increasing power, our task is simply to inform you about the possibilities of using this material.
Basalt tape. Ognez Photos
So, what does basalt (or silica - even better) tape do? It thermally insulates the gases that exit the engine and move outward, passing through the manifold and muffler. The effect of this is double : on the one hand, the gases in the pipe do not lose much heat, quickly pass through the pipes, condensation does not form, and on the other hand, everything that is located in the vicinity of these pipes does not overheat, especially in summer, when the atmosphere is not conducive cooling.
In addition, basalt tapes are considered sound insulators. Well, let’s say that they shouldn’t be confused with basalt wool mats, but specifically in the case of the muffler and collector this may be true. The ringing disappears after winding, as evidenced by watching the video:
How to use it ? Yes, in general, it’s simple: wrap the pipe in one, or even two or three layers, secure the turns with metal clamps or wire, that’s all.
But, of course, we are concerned with this question: what is the metal of the pipes like in a situation of prolonged heating to very high temperatures? In general, it tends to burn out under such thermal stress - the walls of the fireboxes of steel furnaces burn out. Pipes are made of ferrous metal, stainless steel and titanium. Ferrous metal is carbon steel that rusts; they are protected with heat-resistant and anti-corrosion paints. But how long will such protection last? If anyone has experience, please tell us for those who are just planning to wrap a muffler or manifold with thermal insulation.
