Advantages of Synthetic Fibers

Fibers

Fibers are obtained from natural sources, that is, plants and animals. For instance, cotton, wool, and silk. However, some of them may be derived artificially. The fibers made by humans are called synthetic or man-made fibers. They are not derived from natural sources. Some examples of synthetic fibers are nylon, rayon, polyester, etc. Technically, these fibers are usually formed as a chain of small units, called chemical substances which are stacked together. Synthetic fibers and plastics are composed of particles or molecules called polymers....

Natural Fiber

Natural fibers are hair like raw materials, which originate from animal, vegetable, or mineral sources. It is basically an agglomeration of cells in which the diameter is negligible as compared to the length. They are easily convertible into non-woven fabrics, that is felt or paper or, woven cloth upon spinning into yarns. A large variety of these fibers find their usage in textile products or other industrial purposes....

Advantages of Natural Fibers

Good sweat absorbents. Available in a variety of textures. Easy to wear and carry in hot and humid climates. Flexible and relatively strong. High elasticity – On subjecting to high tension, they partially or completely return to their original length when the tension is removed....

Examples of Natural Fibers

Natural fibers can be classified into two broad categories – Plant fibers and animal fibers....

Difference Between Animal and Plant Fibers

Animal Fibers Plant Fibers Extracted from animals. Extracted from plants, Composed of proteins. Composed of cellulose. Need not be harvested for fiber extraction.  Plant fibers need to be harvested. Lesser strength. Greater strength Examples: Silk, wool, etc Examples: Jute, cotton, etc....

Applications of Natural Fibers

Natural fibers find their applications in a variety of fields are,...

Synthetic Fibers

Synthetic fibers are man-made fibers accounting for about half of the total fiber usage. They are composed of small molecules originating from synthesized polymers. The compounds forming these fibers are derived from raw materials such as petroleum-based chemicals or petrochemicals. The polymerization process turns these raw materials into a chemical bonding two adjacent carbon atoms. Differing synthetic fibers are formed from a variety of chemical compounds....

Types of Synthetic Fibers

RayonRayon is manufactured from wood pulp. Owing to its high resemblance to silk, rayon is also termed artificial or synthetic silk. In comparison to natural silk, it is cheaper and can also be dyed in several colors. Nylon Nylon was the first commercially synthesized silk-like fiber. Nylon is manufactured from coal, water, and air. PolyesterPolyester is a highly popular man-made fiber used for making clothes. Owing to its name, it is made up of repeating units of a chemical called ester. AcrylicAcrylic is a highly popular man-made fiber.  Owing to its high resemblance to wool, acrylic is also termed artificial or synthetic wool. In comparison to natural wool, it is cheaper and can also be dyed in several colors....

Characteristics of Synthetic Fibers in comparison to Natural Fibers

Large durability. Stronger. Cheaper Easy maintenance and wash....

Advantages of Synthetic Fibers

Good elasticity. Easy blending with other fibers. Non-shrinking property. Highly absorbent They don’t wrinkle up easily. Less expensive. Readily available and durable. Handle heavy load without breaking....

Disadvantages of Synthetic Fibers

Owing to their low melting point, the synthetic fibers are subjected to heat with caution. For example, while ironing. Less absorbent properties make these fibers uncomfortable to wear during hot and humid days. They stick to the body in a humid climate. Since these fibers are non-biodegradable in nature, they have serious environmental impacts. They are prone to catch fire very easily....

Polymers

Polymers can be termed as a combination of repeating units. Polymers are composed up of small subunits to form large molecules, also known as macromolecules. Polymers may be natural, formed from plants and animals, or synthetic, which are man-made. The word polymers are composed of two words, POLY means many, and MER meaning units. Different polymers display a large number of unique physical and chemical properties. Some examples of natural polymers are silk, wool, cellulose (cotton). Some examples of synthetic polymers are nylon, Teflon polyester, polyethylene, etc....

Properties of Polymers

Physical Properties – Polymers display some rare physical properties : The chain length and cross linking of the polymer is directly proportional to its tensile strength. Therefore, tensile strength increases by increasing the cross-linking. Polymers display a rare property when subjected to heating, that is they change state from crystalline to semi-crystalline, but do not melt. Chemical Properties – The chemical properties of the polymers enable them to withstand bonding with other molecules strongly : Polymers are bestowed with hydrogen bonding and ionic bonding providing them a better cross-linking strength. High flexibility is ensured due to dipole-dipole bonding of the side chains. Polymers supporting Van der Waals forces linking their chains are known to be weak in nature. However, they provide the polymer a low melting point. Optical PropertiesPolymers find their usage in spectroscopy and analytical applications, that is the design of lasers. This is because of their ability to modify their refractive index concerning temperature, notably visible in PMMA and HEMA: MMA....

Polymer fibers

Polymer fibers are fibers based on synthetic chemicals, for instance, petrochemical sources. They can be considered as a subset of man-made fibers. These fibers are derived from the following sources:...

Synthetic Polymers in Everyday Use

Synthetic polymers find their usage in daily life, in the form of textiles and fabrics, Teflon in non-stick pans, and polyvinyl chloride in pipes. A common usage is seen in the form of PET bottles with are composed up of a synthetic polymer, polyethylene terephthalate. The tires are manufactured from the Buna rubbers. Also, the plastic covers are composed up of synthetic polymers like polythene. However, synthetic fibers contribute much to environmental issues, owing to their non-biodegradable nature. Also, they are mostly synthesized from petroleum causing an overhead to the economy. Therefore, bioplastics are an alternative, though they are more expensive....

Sample Problems

Problem 1: Differentiate between natural and synthetic polymers?...

Synthetic and Natural Fibers- FAQs

What are natural fibers?...