Lyocell Rayon

The History of Lyocell Rayon

Lyocell fiber (U.S. brand name Tencel) is another type of regenerated cellulose fiber made from wood
pulp. The method to produce cellulose solution is totally different from that of viscose rayon
fiber, however. The Federal Trade Commission defines lyocell as a cellulose fiber that is precipitated
from an organic solution in which no substitution of the hydroxyl groups takes place and no chemical
intermediates are formed. Lyocell fiber is classified as a subcategory of rayon.
Driven by environmental concerns, researchers have sought new methods for the preparation of cellulose
solutions. NMMO was discovered to be a solvent which can directly dissolve cellulose pulp. This
invention appeared first in a patent describing a basic process of dissolving cellulose by using the NMMO
solvent (Mcorsley, 1981). Work on dissolution of different compounds including cellulose in NMMO was
reported by D. L. Johnson of Eastman Kodak Inc., in the United States, during 1966–1968 (Mbe, 2001).
In the following 10 years from 1969 to 1979, another U.S. company, American Enka, explored the
spinning of regenerated cellulose fiber using the NMMO cellulose solution but failed to commercialize
the process.
Eventually, an R&D team led by Pat White of Courtaulds in the United Kingdom developed a successful
engineering approach for cellulose solution spinning. In 1982, Courtaulds built the first small pilot plant
capable of making up to 100 kg per week of lyocell fiber in Coventry, England. In 1984, the production
capacity of this pilot line was increased to 1 ton/week. A 25 ton/week semi-commercial production line
went into operation in 1988 at Grimsby, England. In 1992, in Mobile Alabama, in the United States,
Courtauds reached its full commercial production capacity of producing this new regenerated fiber with
the trade name “TENCEL®.”
Another major European company engaged in the production of lyocell fiber is Lenzing AG in Austria.
Traditionally specializing in the manufacture of viscose rayon fiber, Lenzing established a pilot plant to
start making lyocell fiber in 1990 (Lenzing AG, 2011b). Lenzing’s full-scale production plant at
Heiligenkreuz came into operation in 1997, with an annual capacity of 12,000 metric tons of lyocell
staple fiber called Lenzing Lyocell®. In 2004, Lenzing completed an acquisition of the TENCEL® Group
(one plant in Mobile, Alabama, and another in Grimsby). Today, Lenzing is the world’s largest lyocell
fiber manufacturer, capable of supplying about 130,000 metric tons of lyocell fiber for the global rayon
market each year.

Lyocell Rayon Production

The production of lyocell rayon fiber includes all steps indicated in Figure 4.7. Raw cellulose (wood
pulp) is mixed with the NMMO solvent and dissolved in NMMO by heating. The formed cellulose
solution is called “dope.” A solvent spinning technique (also called dry-jet and wet-spun) is used to press
the dope through a spinnerette into a spin bath where regenerated cellulose fiber precipitates as the
NMMO solvent is dissolved in the spin bath. The formed cellulose fiber is further processed by water
washing, lubricant finishing, drying, and static removing. At this stage, lyocell filament fiber is produced.
FIGURE 4.7. Tencel fiber production flowchart.
To produce lyocell staple fiber, the regenerated cellulose fiber is crimped and cut to a certain staple length
for press and packing. During the production of the Lenzing Lyocell® staple fiber, the fiber cutting is
done before the washing and finishing steps. The NMMO solvent from the washing unit is recycled
through the solvent recovery system where the dilute NMMO solvent is concentrated and then pumped
into a mixing tank for dissolving new pulp (Woodings, 1995). In comparison with the method of viscose
rayon production, the lyocell fiber spinning process is an environmentally friendly green technology that
eliminates toxic chemical use and chemical reactions, and substantially reduces air and water emissions.

Lyocell Fiber Appearance

Lyocell fiber has a close to circular cross-section (Figure 4.8). Its longitudinal surface is very smooth and
cylindrical without any striation (Figure 4.9). Lyocell rayon fiber is different from viscose rayon in fiber
shape and appearance, and this differentiation allows lyocell rayon fabrics to exhibit better fabric feel and
drape. Table 4.2 lists major lyocell rayon fiber products produced by Lenzing.

FIGURE 4.8. Lyocell rayon fiber cross-sectional view (FEI QUANTA FEG 650).
FIGURE 4.9. Lyocell rayon fiber longitudinal view (FEI QUANTA FEG 650).

Raw Materials
The main ingredient of lyocell is cellulose, a natural polymer found in the cells of all plants. It forms the
basis for other plant-derived fibers such as cotton, hemp, and linen. The cellulose for lyocell
manufacturing is derived from the pulp of hardwood trees. The pulp is typically from a mix of trees
chosen for their cellulosic properties such as the color and amount of contaminants. Some common tree
species used are oak and birch. The trees are grown on managed tree farms, generally on land that is not
suitable for other agricultural uses. The solvent used in the manufacturing process is an amine oxide.
Water is another key ingredient in producing lyocell fiber. A finishing agent is also used, and this varies,
but is generally a lubricant such as soap or silicone. Lyocell fabrics are generally dyed

The main ingredient of lyocell is cellulose, a natural polymer found in the cells of all plants. The cellulose
for lyocell manufacturing is derived from the pulp of hardwood trees. During the manufacturing process,
the hardwood is broken down into chips and then fed into a vat of chemical digesters, which soften them
into a wet pulp. The pulp is washed, bleached, and dried in a huge sheet that is rolled onto a giant spool.
with any dyes that are also compatible with cotton and rayon.
The Manufacturing Process
Preparing the wood pulp
1 The hardwood trees grown for lyocell production are harvested by loggers and trucked to the mill. At
the mill, the trees are cut to 20 ft (6.1m) lengths and debarked by high-pressure jets of water. Next, the
logs are fed into a chipper, a machine that chops them into squares little bigger than postage stamps. Mill
workers load the chips into a vat of chemical digesters that soften them into a wet pulp. This pulp is
washed with water, and may be bleached. Then, it is dried in a huge sheet, and mill workers roll it onto
spools. The sheet of cellulose has the consistency of thick posterboard paper. The roll of cellulose is
enormous, weighing some 500 lb (227 kg).
Dissolving the cellulose
2 At the lyocell mill, workers unroll several spools of cellulose and break them into one inch squares. The
workers then load these squares into a heated, pressurized vessel filled with amine oxide.
Filtering
3 After a short time soaking in the solvent, the cellulose dissolves into a clear solution. It is pumped out
through a filter, to insure that all the chips are dissolved.
Spinning
4 Next, the solution is pumped through spinnerets. These are devices used with a variety of manmade
fibers. Something like a showerhead, the spinneret is pierced with small holes, and when the cellulose is
forced through it, long strands of fiber come out. The fibers are then immersed in another solution of
amine oxide, diluted this time. This sets the fiber strands. Then, they are washed with de-mineralized
water.
Drying and finishing
5 The lyocell fiber next passes to a drying area, where the water is evaporated from it. The strands at this
point pass to a finishing area, where a lubricant is applied. This may be a soap or silicone or other agent,
depending on the future use of the fiber. This step is basically a detangler, making the future steps of
carding and spinning into yarn easier.
Final steps
6 The dried, finished fibers are at this stage in a form called tow. Tow is a large untwisted bundle of
continuous length filaments. The bundles of tow are taken to a crimper, a machine which compresses the
fiber, giving it texture and bulk. The crimped fiber is carded by mechanical carders, which perform an
action like combing, to separate and order the strands. The carded strands are cut and baled for shipment
to a fabric mill. The entire manufacturing process, from unrolling the raw cellulose to baling the fiber,
takes only about two hours. After this, the lyocell may be processed in a wide assortment of ways. It may
be spun with another fiber, such as cotton or wool. The yarn can be woven or knit like any other fabric,
and given a variety of finishes, from soft and suede-like to silky.
Recovery of the solvent
7 The amine oxide used to dissolve the cellulose and set the fiber after spinning is recovered and re-used
in the manufacturing process. The dilute solution is evaporated, removing the water, and the amine oxide
is routed for re-use in the pressurized vessel in step 2. Ninety-nine percent of the amine oxide is
recoverable in the typical lyocell manufacturing process.

Properties of Lyocell
Comparisons of lyocell with viscose and other cellulosic in both laboratory and test markets proved that
the fibers were sufficiently different to deserve separate marketing strategies. Table.1. shows various
physical properties of lyocell with other fibers
Lyocell is:
Stronger than any other cellulosic fibers, especially when wet
Easy to process into yarns and fabrics alone or in blends
Easy to blend (unique fiber presentation)
Easy to spin to fine count yarns
Very stable in washing and drying
Thermally stable
Easy to dye to deep vibrant colors
Capable of taking the latest finishing techniques to give unique drape
Comfortable to wear
Table 1: The comparison properties of lyocell with different cellulosic fibers
Polyester
Property Lyocell Viscose Cotton
(PET)

Dry Tenacity (cN/Tex) 38-42 22-26 20-24 55-60

Wet Tenacity (cN/Tex) 34-38 10-15 26-30 54-58

Dry Elongation (%) 14-16 20-25 7-9 25-30

Wet Elongation (%) 16-18 25-30 12-14 25-30

Courtaulds’ Lyocell Process

The Courtaulds’ semi-commercial production system is illustrated in Figure-3. Dissolving grade wood
pulp is mixed into a paste with N-methyl morpholine- N-oxide NMMO and passes through a high-
temperature dissolving unit to yield a clear viscous solution. This is filtered and spun into dilute NMMO,
whereupon the cellulose fibers precipitate. These are washed and dried, and finally baled as staple or tow
products as required by the market. The spin-bath and wash liquors are passed to solvent recovery
systems which concentrate the NMMO to the level required for re-use in dissolution.
Figure: 3 Courtaulds’ Lyocell Process

Lyocell is also used in:

Conveyer Belt
Specialty Paper
Medical Dressing
Surgical swabs, drapes, gowns
Floppy disc liners, filtration cloth
Lining materials

Lyocell fiber properties

i. Lyocell fiber is similar in many respects to viscose rayon fiber, but exhibits enhanced properties in
terms of softness, drapability, dimensional durability, dye acceptance, and colorfastness.
ii. Moisture regain of lyocell fiber is about 11%, slightly less than viscose-rayon.
iii. The dry tenacity value of lyocell fiber is higher than that of viscose and HWM rayon fiber.
iv. It is the only regenerated cellulose fiber that has a wet tensile strength greater than the wet energy of
cotton.
v. It has a significantly reduced elongation value slightly higher than HWM rayon fiber.
vi. It has a close to a circular cross-section that's longitudinal surface is very smooth and cylindrical
without any striation.
vii. It can be hand washable
viii. It is fibrillated during wet processing to produce special textures.
ix. It is also biodegradable.

Lyocell fiber advantages

i. Lyocell fabric is considered a durable fabric because it is made of wood and therefore biodegradable
and compostable.
ii. It can be blended with other fabrics like cotton, polyester, acrylic, ethical wool, and peace silk
iii. It is breathable, strong, and gentle on the skin with a soft, silky texture
iv. It is stretched and efficient in absorbing moisture, making it a great alternative to activewear
v. Instead of viscose and other types of rayon, lyocell is made using a closed-loop process which means
that the chemicals used in the production are not released into the environment.

Lyocell fiber disadvantages

i. A major disadvantage is that lyocell is not as economical as other fibers like cotton at present.
ii. Although the lyocell itself is compostable, if mixed with other synthetic fibers, the new fabric will not
be compostable.
iii. Uses a lot of energy in the production of lyocell
iv. Lyocell is a delicate fabric so recommend using a cold wash and no dryer

BICOMPONENT FIBRES
Bicomponent and multi-component fibers are fibers which are generated during the spinning process from
two or more polymers which have different chemical or physical characteristics. Two extruders are used
for melting the chips in the simplest two-component-spinning process. The polymer melts are separately
led to the spin packs or holes and thereafter spun to filaments.

CLASSIFICATION OF BICOMPONENT FIBRES

Bicomponent fibres are sometimes referred as 'composite', 'conjugate' or 'hetro' fibers. These can be
divided into several groups according to the component distribution within the fibre cross section area
[chart 1], as given below:
� Side-by-side (s/s) fibers
� Sheath-core (s/c) fibers
� Matrix-fibril Bicomponent fibers
� Segmented pie structure
� Polymer blends