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SYNTHETIC
FIBER & PLASTIC

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Synthetic Fiber and Plastic

I N T H I S C A P S UL E
SYNTHETIC FIBER AND PLASTIC .............................................................................................................. 2

SYNTHETIC FIBER ........................................................................................................................................ 3

TYPES OF SYNTHETIC FIBER 3

CHARACTERISTICS OF SYNTHETIC FIBERS 4

POLYMERS .................................................................................................................................................... 4

POLYMERIZATION 4

BASIC TYPES OF POLYMERIZATION 5

SOME IMPORTANT POLYMERS ............................................................................................................... 6

A. NATURAL RUBBER 6

B. SYNTHETIC RUBBER: (POLYCHLOROPRENE) OR NEOPRENE) 6

C. BUNA RUBBERS 7

D. TEFLON7

E. NYLON -66: 8

F. NYLON 6 OR PEROLON – 8

G. DACRON 8

H. PHENOL-FORMALDEHYDE POLYMER 9

I. POLYESTER 9

J. PHENOL 9

K. MELAMINE 9

PLASTICS ..................................................................................................................................................... 10

TYPES OF PLASTICS 10

CHARACTERISTICS’ OF PLASTICS 10

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Synthetic Fiber
There are two types of fibers
– One is natural fibers which are obtained from natural sources
Example – Cotton, silk, wool
– The other is synthetic fibers which are man-made
Example – rayon, nylon, acrylic etc.
• A Synthetic Fiber is a chain of small units of chemical substance
joined together.
• Many such single units combine to form single unit called Polymer.

Types of Synthetic Fiber

Rayon
• Rayon is synthesized from wood pulp.
• Rayon resembles silk, so it is also known as artificial silk.
• Rayon can be dyed in different colors and is much cheaper than silk.

Nylon
• Nylon was first commercially synthesized fiber.
• Nylon is synthesized from coal, water and air.
• Nylon is very strong, and its fabric is like silk.

Polyester
• Polyester, one of the most popular man-made fibers.
• It is made of repeating unit of a chemical called ester.
• It is widely used to make clothes.

Acrylic
• Acrylic is a man-made fiber.
• Acrylic is known as artificial wool or synthetic wool because
it resembles wool.
• Acrylic is cheaper than natural wool and can be dyed in various color.
• This makes acrylic is very popular among other fabrics.

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Characteristics of Synthetic Fibers
a) Synthetic fibers are cheaper than natural fiber.
b) Synthetic fibers are stronger than natural fiber.
c) Synthetic fibers are more durable than natural fiber.
d) Synthetic fabrics are dried up in less time.
e) Synthetic fibers are easy to maintain and wash.

Polymers
• A polymer is a large molecule, or macromolecule, composed
of many repeated subunits.
• Due to their broad range of properties, both synthetic and
natural polymers play essential and ubiquitous roles in everyday life.

Polymerization
• Polymers are produced through a process called Polymerization.
• Small sized molecules undergo chemical reactions which allows them to combine
with each other, and form a macromolecule (Polymer)
• The structure resembles a chain, or form a network that is three-dimensional.

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Basic Types of Polymerization
a) In chain-reaction polymerization

Rad. + CH2 = CH2 → RadCH2CH2→ RadCH2CH2CH2CH2× → etc.

b) In step reaction polymerization,

c) Free-radical vinyl polymerization:

At the doubly bonded carbons — the vinyl groups — and is called vinyl polymerization.

A wide variety of unsaturated monomers may be used, to yield polymers with differ-
ent pendant groups (G) attached to the polymer backbone. For example.

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Some Important Polymers

A. Natural Rubber

• Addition polymer of isoprene (2-methyl-1,3-butadiene)

• An average chain length of 5000 monomer units of isoprene.
• The rubber in which the arrangement of carbon chain is trans
with respect to the double bond is known as Gutta Percha
• This is the natural rubber obtained from bark of various trees.

Vulcanization
• 'Vulcanization of rubber involves addition of Sulphur to rubber and
heating the mixture to increase the strength of natural rubber.
• Sulphur forms short chains of Sulphur atoms that link two hydrocarbon
(isoprene) units together.

Vulcanized rubber is thus stronger and less sticky than the natural rubber.

B. Synthetic rubber: (Polychloroprene) or Neoprene)

• It is obtained by free radical polymerization of chloroprene in

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• A thermoplastic and need not to be vulcanized.

• It is a good general-purpose rubber and superior to natural rubber
as it is resistant to the reaction of aire, heat, light chemicals, alkalis and
acids below 50% strength.
• It is used for making transmission belts, printing rolls and flexible tubing
employed for conveyance of oil and petrol.

C. Buna Rubbers

1. Buna - N or GRA:
• it is synthetic rubber obtained by copolymerization of one part
of acryl nitrile and two parts of butadiene.

• It is more rigid responds less to heat and very resistant to

swelling action of petrol, oils and other organic solvents.

2. Buna -S or GRS (General purpose Styrene rubber)

• It is a copolymer of three moles of butadiene and one mole of styrene
and is an elastomer. It is obtained as a result of free radical copolymerization
of its monomers.

• It is generally compounded with carbon black and vulcanized with Sulphur.

• It is extremely resistant to wear and tear and finds use in
manufacture of tyres and other mechanical rubber goods.

D. Teflon

• It is polymer of tetrafluoroethylene (F2C=CF2) which on polymerization

gives Teflon.

• It is thermoplastic polymer with a high softening point (600K).

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• It is very tough and difficult to work.
• It is inert to most chemicals except fluorine and molten alkali metals.
• It withstands high temperatures.
• Its electrical properties make it an ideal insulating material
for high frequency installation.

E. Nylon -66:

• A condensation polymer formed by reaction between

adipic acid and hexamethylene diamine.
• It is a thermoplastic polymer.

F. Nylon 6 or Perolon –

• L A Polyamide is prepared by prolonged heating of

caprolactam at 530- 540 K.
• The fiber is practically identical to Nylon in properties

G. Dacron

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H. Phenol-formaldehyde Polymer

E.g., Bakelite Novolac

I. Polyester
• Polyester fabrics and fibers are extremely strong.
• Polyester is very durable: resistant to most chemicals, stretching and
shrinking, wrinkle resistant, mildew and abrasion resistant.
• Polyester is hydrophobic in nature and quick drying.
• It can be used for insulation by manufacturing hollow fibers.

J. Phenol

• Phenol is an aromatic organic compound with the molecular formula C6H5OH.

• It is a white crystalline solid that is volatile.
• The molecule consists of a phenyl group (−C6H5) bonded to a hydroxy group (−OH).
• Phenols are widely used in household products and as
intermediates for industrial synthesis.
• For example, phenol itself is used (in low concentrations)
as a disinfectant in household cleaners and in mouthwash.
• Phenol may have been the first surgical antiseptic.

K. Melamine:

• Melamine is a chemical compound that has several industrial uses,

including the production of laminates, glues, dinnerware, adhesives,
molding compounds, coatings and flame retardants.
• Melamine is a name used both for the chemical and for the plastic made from it.

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Plastics
• Plastic is a polymer that can be recycled, colored, reused, mound or
drawn into wires or various other shapes.
• Units of some plastics have linear arrangement while
some plastics are formed by the cross-linked arrangement of their units.
• Thus, plastic is used in making toys, suitcase, bags, cabinets, brush, chairs,
tables, and many other countless items.
• Polythene is one of the most famous types of plastic, which is used
in manufacturing of carry bags.

Types of Plastics
1. Thermoplastic:

• Plastics which can be easily bent or deform on heating are known

as thermoplastic. PVC and Polythene are the examples of thermoplastics.

2. Thermosetting plastic :

• Plastics which do not get deformed or softened on heating when

mold once, are called thermosetting plastics.
• Bakelite and melamine are the examples of thermosetting plastics.

Characteristics’ of Plastics
• Plastic is a poor conductor of heat and electricity.
• Plastic does not react with air and water and with many of the chemicals.
• Plastics are light weight, durable, cheap, very strong, and does not rust.
• Plastics are non- biodegradable substances.
• It takes many years to get decomposed and sometimes does not
get decomposed at all. Thus, plastic is not environment friendly.

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