Fibres

 

 

All fabrics are materials made from many fibres.
Cotton is a natural fibre obtained from the cotton plant.
All synthetic fibres are man-made fibres that are prepared by a number of processes using raw material of petroleum origin, called petrochemicals.

A polymer is made up of many repeating units called monomers.
Cotton is a form of polymer called cellulose, which is made of a large number of glucose units.
Characteristics of synthetic fibres:

Dry quickly 
Very durable 
Less expensive 
Easy to maintain
Readily available

Fibre obtained by chemically treating wood pulp is called rayon or artificial silk. Rayon cannot be called a natural fibreas it is man-made.

Characteristics of rayon:
Cheaper than silk and can be woven like silk fibres.
Highly absorbent, soft and comfortable. 
Easy to dye in a wide range of colours, and drapes well.

Uses of rayon:

Widely used in all types of clothing and home furnishings.
Mixed with cotton to make bed sheets and curtains, or with wool to make carpets.

Nylon is a synthetic fibre made from coal, water and air.
Nylon is b, elastic, light, very lustrous and easy to wash. It dries quickly and retains its shape.

Uses of nylon:

To make seat belts in cars, curtains, sleeping bags, tents, tooth brushes, socks and ropes,
To make parachutes and ropes for rock-climbing.

Polyester is a synthetic fibre, derived from coal, air, water and petroleum.
Polyester is made of repeating chemical units called esters.

Polycot is a mixture of polyester and cotton, and polywool is a mixture of polyester and wool.
Fabric made from polyester retains its shape and remains crisp. Polyester is easy to wash and dry.

Terylene is a popular form of polyester, which can be drawn into very fine fibres. These fibres can be woven like anyother yarn.
PET, or poly-ethylene terephthalate, is another familiar form of polyester, which is used to make bottles, utensils, films and wires.
Polyester is also used for making hoses, ropes, nets, thread, raincoats, fleece jackets, clothing and medical textiles.
Acrylic is a synthetic polymer of methyl methacrylate.
Fabric made from acrylic is warm to wear, retains its shape and is durable.

Acrylic is easy to wash and dries quickly.
Acrylic is used in apparel like sweaters and socks, and in home furnishings such as furniture, carpets, blankets andupholstery fabrics.  
Industrial uses of acrylic include craft yarns, awnings, boat and vehicle covers, and luggage.

 

 

 

Plastics

 

 

Plastics are polymers of long carbon chains.
Plastics that get deformed easily on heating and can be bent easily are known as thermoplastics.  PVC polythene, nylon, acrylic, celluloid and cellulose acetate are examples of thermoplastic.
Plastics that, when moulded, cannot be softened by heating are called thermosetting plastics.
Bakelite, melamine, vulcanised rubber, duroplast and epoxy resin are examples of thermosetting plastics.
Characteristics of plastics:

Do not corrode easily 
- Light in weight
- Strong 
- Durable

Can be easily moulded into different shapes and sizes.
Poor conductors of heat and electricity.

Uses of plastics:
Special plastic is used in the making of cookware used in microwave ovens for cooking food.
Teflon is a special plastic on which oil and water do not stick, hence used in non-stick cookware.
As a packaging material for tablets, syringes, threads used for stitching wounds and doctor’s gloves.
The interior parts of a car like the dash board, and some parts of helicopters and aeroplanes are made of plastic.

Used in the making of computer parts, circuit boards, food processors, shavers and hair dryers.

Material that gets decomposed through natural processes, such as by the action of bacteria, is termed asbiodegradable.
For example, peels of vegetables, fruits, other food stuff, paper and pieces of clothes.
On the other hand, material that is not easily decomposed by natural processes is termed as non-biodegradable.
For example, plastic, polythene covers, thermocol, etc.

Polythene bags are non-biodegradable and cause environmental pollution. They undergo a process known as photo degradation, in which they break down into smaller and smaller toxic particles. These particles contaminate soil and water, and end up entering the food chain when eaten accidentally by animals like cows. Besides, polythene bags can choke cattle to death.
Hundreds and thousands of whales, dolphins, sea turtles and other marine mammals die every year after consumingdiscarded polythene bags, mistaking them for food.
Carelessly thrown polythene bags are also responsible for the clogging of drainage systems in cities and towns.
Plastics take several years to decompose.

Ways to reduce the use of plastic materials:
Reduce- Avoid the use of disposable plastic bags, instead make use of cotton or jute bags for shopping.
Reuse: Plastic items should be reused wherever possible.
Recycle: It is better to recycle plastic waste. Most thermoplastics can be recycled.