F & O – VIII_SS_CHEM Synthetic Fibres and plastics

2019

What is Fibre?
All clothing material called fabric is woven out of fibres.

Types of fibers:
There are two types of fibers which can be carized on the basis of their origin and that are written as
follows:

1. Natural fibers
2. Synthetic fibers

Natural fibers
Natural fibers are obtained from plant and animal sources. They occur in ready to use form. There are
certain fibers which are obtained from plants and are known as vegetable fibers.

This includes the following fibres-

1. Protein fibers like (wool and silk)

2. Cellulose fibers (like cotton and linen).

Cotton is used in the manufacturing of bedsheets and usually used in summers as it keeps us ventilated.

1. Mineral fiber (like asbestos). This is helpful in the manufacturing of mats or carpets that are
used at home for decoration.

Synthetic fibers
These are also known as man-made fibers. Synthetic fibers are obtained by chemical processing of
petrochemicals. The synthetic fibers can be woven into a fabric, just like natural fiber. Synthetic fibers
have a wide range of use ranging from household articles like ropes, buckets, furniture, containers, etc.
to highly specialized uses in aircrafts, ships, spacecrafts, health care, etc.

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Synthetic fibers and plastics are made up of molecules called polymers. A polymer is a large molecule
formed by combination of many small molecules, each of which is called a monomer.
The structure of polymer can be compared to that of a bead necklace- the bead being the monomers.
The process of combining the monomers to form a polymer is called polymerization.
These are man-made fibers that come from chemical resources.
They are continuous filament fibers.
They consist of multiple units that join together to form big molecules called polymer.
They are manufactured using plant materials and minerals.
For example: Viscose comes from pine trees. Acrylic, nylon, polyester come from oil and coal. Viscose is
processed to form rayon.
See Video:
Properties of synthetic fibers
The properties of synthetic fibres are as follows-

1. They quickly dry up.

It means that synthetic fiber dries easily after washing.

1. They are durable.

It means that they can be used for a longer period of time.

1. They are less expensive.

2. They are readily available.
3. They are easy to maintain and do not need extra care.

Kinds of Synthetic Fibers

There are different kinds of synthetic fibers which are as follows-

1. Rayon
2. Polyester
3. Nylon

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 F & O – VIII_SS_CHEM Synthetic Fibres and plastics
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4. Acrylic
5. Plastic

Rayon
It is obtained from wood pulp and this pulp is further processed to form rayon. It is also called artificial
silk.
Properties of Rayon
It is semi synthetic fiber as wood pulp is used for its manufacturing.
It is manufactured regenerated cellulose fiber.
It is also called as viscose rayon and artificial silk. The liquid obtained from the pine tree is called as
viscose and it has lustre due to which it is also called viscose rayon and artificial silk.

Properties of Rayon

1. It is versatile fiber and widely used.

Rayon is mixed with cotton to make bedsheets or mixed with wool to make carpets.

1. It has comfort providing properties.

2. They can be easily dyed as per our needs.
3. It is soft, smooth, cool, comfortable, and highly absorbent.
4. They do not insulate body heat. Therefore, it is used in hot and humid climates.

Uses of Rayon
Rayon is used in textile industry for making shirts, skirts etc.
This fabric has gained unfair reputation as it is constantly used in making cheap garments that have very
low price. These cheap garments are made up of rayon.
Nylon

1. It is made from coal, water and air.

2. It is the first fully synthetic fiber which was made in 1931.
3. It is widely found.
4. It has ability to be lustrous, semi lustrous or non lustrous.
5. It is durable as it has high tenacity or strength.
6. It has excellent abrasion resistance. It means not extra care is required. It is rough and tough
type of fiber.
7. It is heat resistant.
8. It is highly resistant to insects, fungi, animals, chemicals, etc.

Uses OF Nylon

1. As we know that nylon has high strength. Due to this property, it is used for making fishing nets,
parachute, bag, ropes etc.

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 F & O – VIII_SS_CHEM Synthetic Fibres and plastics
2019
2. It is used for making fabrics.
3. It is used in the manufacturing of various machine parts.
4. It is often blended with wool to increase the strength.

Polyester
Polyester is manufactured from petroleum. It is a category of polymer which contain an ester group in
their main chain. PET (Polyethylene terephthalate), the commonly used polyester, is made from two
monomers by condensation polymerization.
This PET is used in the manufacturing of pet bottles like cold drink, water bottles.

Properties of Polyester

1. It is very strong
2. It is very durable, resistant to chemicals. Polyester does not shrink.
3. It is hydrophobic in nature and dries up quickly as it does not absorb water.
4. It retains its shape.
5. It is easily washed and dried.

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 F & O – VIII_SS_CHEM Synthetic Fibres and plastics
2019

Uses

1. It is used to make polyester suits.

2. It is used in the manufacturing of ropes in industries. Then these ropes are useful in rock
climbing etc.
3. Pet bottles are also commonly used.
4. Example of polyester: polyester Mat and polyester rope.

Acrylic
Acrylic is an artificial wool. These are synthetic fibers made from a polymer called polyacrylonitrile.

Properties of Acrylic

1. It is warm and lightweight.

2. It is soft and flexible.
3. It is resistant to moths and chemicals.
4. It gives wool like feel.
5. It does not shrink and is wrinkle- resistant.
6. It is cheaper than wool.
7. It can also be dyed very well in a variety of color.

Uses of acrylic

1. Acrylic fiber is often used for making sweaters, blankets, cashmere, jackets, shawls, and
tracksuits.
2. It is also used as linings for boots and gloves as well as in furnishing fabrics and carpets.
3. It is used in craft yarns, boat sails and vehicle covers.

Question: What is the chemical nature of polyester? What are polycot and polywool?

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Answer: Polyester is actually made by repeating the units of a chemical called ester. Esters are the
chemicals which give characteristics smell like fruits. Fabrics are sold by names like polycot, polywool,
terrycot etc. As the name suggests, these are made by mixing two types of fibers. Polycot is a mixture of
polyester and cotton. Polywool is a Mixture of polyester and wool.

Plastic
The word ‘plastic’ comes from greek word “plastikos” that means “to form”. Plastic is made from
petroleum and natural gas.
Plastics can be easily molded into any shape and sizes. Plastic is also defined as a material that can be
heated and molded in any shape after cooling. For example: Polythene. Plastics can be recycled, reused,
colored melted, rolled into sheets or made into wires. Some of the plastic has linear arrangement, while
some has cross linked.
Properties of Plastic

1. It is lightweight.
2. It does not rust.
3. It is easy to handle.
4. It is reusable.
5. It is non reactive.
6. They are poor conductors of heat and electricity.

Example of Plastics

1. Toys
2. Plastic Chairs

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Types of plastics
There are two types of plastics which are written below:

1. Thermoplastics
2. Thermosetting plastics

Thermoplastics
Thermoplastic is a plastic which gets deformed easily on heating and can be bent easily. On heating
thermoplastics, there is no chemical change. For example: Polythene, polytetrafluroethylene (PTFE),
polystyrene, and PVC (polyvinylchloride). These are used for manufacturing toys, combs, car grills and
various types of containers.
Thermosetting plastics
There are some plastics which when molded once cannot be softened by heating again and again. These
are called thermosetting plastics. For example: Bakelite and melamine. Bakelite is used for making
electrical switches, handles of various utensils etc. Melamine is used for making floor tiles, kitchenware
etc.

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Uses

1. It is used in making bottles.

2. It is used in making plastic toys.
3. It is used for packaging many goods like container etc.

Question: What is the name of plastic that is used in making non stick pans?
Answer: Teflon is used in making non stick pans because oil and water does not stick on it.

Question: Why polyester is quite suitable for making dress materials? Name any two types of polyesters
and their uses.
Answer: Fabric made from polyester does not get wrinkled easily. It remains crisp and is easy to wash.
So, it is quite suitable for making dress material. Terylene is a type of popular polyester. It can be drawn
into very fine fibers that can be woven like any other yarn.
PET is a very familiar form of polyester. It is used for making bottles, utensils, films, wires and many
other useful products.

Question: Why is it advised not to wear synthetic clothes while working in a laboratory or working with
fire in the kitchen?
Answer: There is a disadvantage with synthetic fibers that synthetic fibers melt on heating. If the cloth
catches fire it can be very disastrous. The fabric melts and sticks to the body of the person wearing it. It
is therefore advised not to wear synthetic clothes while working in a laboratory or working with fire in
the kitchen.

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 F & O – VIII_SS_CHEM Synthetic Fibres and plastics
2019
Question: By which material is artificial wool formed? Why has artificial wool become more popular
than natural wool?

Answer: Artificial wool is prepared from another type of synthetic fiber called acrylic. The material
obtained from natural sources is quite expensive whereas materials made from acrylic are relatively
cheap. They are available in a variety of colors. Synthetic fibers are more durable and affordable which
makes them more popular than natural fibers.

Disadvantages of plastic
The disadvantages of plastics are as follows –

1. They have caused many health and environmental hazards.

2. Some monomers of plastics have proven to cause cancer also.
3. Plastics are non- biodegradable and do not decompose for several years.
4. When plastics are burnt, toxic fumes are released into the atmosphere causing pollution.

Biodegradable substances
These are those substances that can be decomposed by microorganisms through natural processes.
Non biodegradable substances
These are those substances that cannot be decomposed by microorganisms in natural way. For example:
Plastics.
Approximate time taken to
Types of waste Nature of material
degenerate
Peels of vegetable and fruits, leftover food stuff
It takes 1 to 2 weeks to degenerate. Biodegradable
etc.
Paper It takes 10-30 days to degenerate. Biodegradable
Cotton clothes It takes 2-5 months to degenerate. Biodegradable
Wood It takes 10-15 years to degenerate. Biodegradable
Woolen clothes It takes About a year to degenerate.Biodegradable
Non-
Tin, Aluminum and other metal cans It takes 100-500 years to degenerate.
Biodegradable
Non-
Plastic bags It takes several years to degenerate.
Biodegradable
Plastic
Plastic is not environment friendly. Therefore certain steps have to be taken it order to protect our
environment. Like polythene, is a non-biodegradable substance which means that microorganisms
cannot decompose them.
Steps that are required to protect the environment

1. We should never throw plastic bags or other plastic articles into water bodies, drains or on
roads.
2. We should carry cotton or jute bags for shopping.
3. We should buy products with less plastic packaging.

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4. We should encourage the people to recycle and reuse plastic.

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