RAYON

VerwendenRayon, the first commercial manmade fiber, is composed of cellulose in a quite pure form. It is produced by the treatment of wood pulp with alkali and carbon disulfide to form a viscous solution of cellulose xanthate. This viscous solution, called viscose, is extruded through spinnerets into an aqueous acid bath that coagulates the cellulose xanthate, decomposes it, and regenerates the cellulose. Rayon fibers are easily wetted by water and provide easy access to dye molecules. Dyeing may take place by absorption or by reaction with the hydroxyl groups. Rayon fibers may also be dyed with mordant and vat dyes.

synthetischeViscose rayon is obtained by reacting the hydroxy groups of cellulose with car- bon disulfide in the presence of alkali to give xanthates. When this solution is poured (spun) into an acid medium, the reaction is reversed and the cellulose is regenerated (coagulated).

DefinitionGeneric name for a semisynthetic fiber composed of regenerated cellulose as well as man- ufactured fibers composed of regenerated cellulose in which substituents have replaced not more than 15% of the hydrogen of the hydroxyl groups. Rayon was first made