Artificial fibres are mainly fibres that were first invented to replace silk, which was always a luxury product, but by the 17th and 18th centuries it had acquired not only a luxury but also a technical character, because, although thin, it was strong enough to resist acids, which made it an important material for science, health and the military. The second generation of artificial fibres are petroleum derivatives, which have evolved from a specific source of raw material. They all have in common that they are long fibres with a smooth surface, similar to silk.
Semi-synthetic fibres
A significant proportion of rayon, such as copper oxide rayon, acetate rayon and nitrate rayon, is a cellulose-based product. They started to become popular from the end of the 19th century and remained popular until the introduction of plastics derived from fossils. The textile industry in general has also had harmful effects on the human body, but the substances used in the rayon industry are particularly hazardous to health. Carbon disulphide is corrosive to the skin and respiratory system, it is brain-damaging and hallucinogenic. The health-damaging effects of its manufacture are illustrated by the fact that during the Second World War many political prisoners were employed in rayon factories.
Copper oxide rayon injection of sulphuric acid solution and dissolving of copper compounds bleaching fibres
The experiments with rayon did not stop at cellulose, although cellulose was more effective at making silk. A prime example is casein, a fibre based on cow's and goat's milk, known as lanital, which was produced in fascist Italy with huge state subsidies. Although it was inferior to wool in terms of tensile strength and flexibility, and it never reached the quality of caterpillar silk or the low price of cellulose silks, the regime intoxicated by futurism stood by it as its own invention. As a 1937 British correspondent noted, "In the future, you can choose to drink a glass of milk or wear it." There have been experiments with casein-based fibres ever since, but these can only be mentioned as curiosities.
Synthetic fibres
As the second generation of artificial fibres, we can mention petroleum derivatives, which were developed due to a specific raw material source. The first purely man-made fibre was the nylon presented at the 1939 World's Fair. Nylon is not found in nature. Here, human intervention has not only produced a completely new material, but also a fibre that can be made to infinite lengths if necessary, unlike those of plant and animal origin.
Microscopic image of a nylon fibre
Dyeing demonstration at the DuPont Pavilion for the 1939 World's Fair
It was created and developed by the American DuPont company, like many other related materials, such as Kevlar, neoprene, etc. Nylon is associated with the name of Wallace Carothers, as is the invention of polyester. The DuPont company did not leave the popularity of nylon to chance. It is of real cultural and historical interest that nylon stockings, which replaced silk stockings, started an unprecedented hosiery fashion: nylon stockings were already presented at the 1939 World's Fair.
In 1941, Rex Whinfield and James Dickson patented the first polyester fibre, Terylene. This fibre is stronger than nylon and has thermal and electrical insulating properties. It also has the advantage of being wrinkle and abrasion resistant, which is why it is so popular in the garment industry. It is also used to make various insulating materials and medical components. It is mainly used for furniture upholstery and carpets due to its wear resistance, silky sheen and low price. It is called polyester because the elements of the polymer chains are bonded via ester linkages.
Metal fibres
Exceptions include a 19th century Chinese carpet: the coloured threads are knotted, the metallic threads are inserted in the intermediate fields over the yarns
Metal threads and metal ornaments were not used on carpets and kilims - namely woven rugs made without knots - except for one or two Chinese examples, but they were often used for tapestries, also called gobelins. Textiles were already decorated with metals in ancient times due to their metallic effect and shine. The metallic textile decorations known in antiquity were ornaments made of various types of metal plates, sequins, thin gold sheets and woven ribbons attached with glue. Metal threads have been used in Europe since the Early Middle Ages. These were made by wrapping a metal wire or ribbon around a piece of yarn from animal or plant origin.