History

Olefin filaments have been manufactured for specialized applications

since 1949 but the use of olefin fibres for a variety of textiles has been a
relatively recent development.
By 1957, Italy was producing fibres.
U.S production of olefin fibres started in 1960.
DID YOU KNOW?
In 1977, olefin fibres represented 7% of manufactured fibres; in 1997
the figure had grown to 16%.
End use
In apparel: Used for underwear, socks, sweaters,
glove liners, and active sportswear.
In furnishings: Used in carpeting and in upholstery,
draperies, and slipcovers.
In industry:
o Olefin makes an ideal geo-textile(those textiles
that are used in contact with the soil)
o Used to produce roadbed support fabrics,
Petromat and Petrotak, that provide a water and
particle barrier between road surfaces and the
underlying road foundation.
o Also found in dye nets, cover stock for
diapers,laundry and sand bags, banners, ropes
and twins, and rags.
o Tyvek is used in wallpanel fabrics, envelopes and
protective clothing.

Chemical structure
Olefin maybe referred to as polypropylene or
polyethylene.
Polyethylene is a simple linear structure with repeating
CH2 units.
Polypropylene has a three dimensional structure with a
backbone of carbon and methyl groups(CH3) protruding
from the back.
Guilio Natta observed that three configurations could be
developed when propylene was polymerized and when all
methyl groups were on one side of the chain, the
molecular chains could pack together and crystallize.
Natta developed a process b which polymerization would
take place in this manner together with Karl Ziegler,
received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their work.
Karl Zieglers work on catalysts to polymerize ethylene
and Guilio Nattas discovery of steriospecific
polymerization made it possible to obtain high-molecularweight-crystalline polypropylene polymers.
The ability to control the stereochemistry of the polymer
permitted the development of a good fiber-forming
polymer.
If all methyl groups fall along one side of the polymer, the
polymer is isotactic, if the methyl groups are arranged in

a random order along the chain, the polymer is atactic

resulting in a polymer that would qualify as rubber
Olefin fibres have no polar groups. The absence of polar
groups makes dyeing a problem.