Contents
Preface to the first edition
Preface to the second edition
1 Birth of the new fibers
1.1 Background
1.2 Transition to new fibers
2 The super-fiber with new performance
2.1 Two streams of super-fiber
2.2 The quest for a strong fiber
2.3 From “shish kebab” to “gel-spinning”
2.4 The aramid fiber race in Europe, the USA and Japan
2.5 Polyacetal fiber
2.6 Strong Vinylon RM
2.7 New liquid crystalline polymers: engineering plastics
2.8 Vectran: a fully aromatic polyester fiber
2.9 Developing polyallylate fiber
2.10 The ACM industry in the USA
2.11 High-technology boats of carbon fiber
2.12 Final stage of pitch-based carbon fiber development
2.13 The future of super-fibers
3 High-touch fibers
3.1 A silk-like fiber that surpasses natural silk
3.2 The challenge of ultra-fine fibers
3.3 The skin-like fabric Exceltech
3.4 Chameleonic fabrics
3.5 Photochroism-controlled clothing material
3.6 Sleeping comfortably with sweet scents
3.7 Perfumed fibers
3.8 Power fibers that store solar energy
3.9 Iridescent textiles
3.10 Protein plastics with the feel of human skin
4 Biomimetic chemistry and fibers
4.1 Applications of morphology/structure
4.2 Hybridisation technology
5 Biopolymer frontiers
5.1 Mimicking the functions of enzymes and co-enzymes
5.2 Polysaccharides in semiconductors and medicine
5.3 Biomass of crab and shrimp shells
5.4 New applications of silk
5.5 Fibers produced by bacteria
5.6 New functions €or cellulose
5.7 Utilisation of protein functionality
6 Progression of high-tech fibers
6.1 Utilisation of unused resources
6.2 Biotechnology and fibers
6.3 Electronics and fibers
6.4 Cars and fibers
6.5 Fibers in space
6.6 Fibers and nuclear power
6.7 Fibers in sport
6.8 Fibers for geotextiles
6.9 Fibers in the ocean
7 New high-tech fibers and Shimgosen
7.2 Development of Shin-gosen
7.3 Design of specialist fibers
7.4 Fabrics for relaxation using llf fluctuations
7.5 Some new arrivals Various categories of high-tech fibers
8 Cellulosic fibers
8.1 New solvent systems
8.2 New cellulosic fiber derivatives
8.3 New environmental and cost saving developments
8.4 Life-cycle assessment
8.5 Cellulose: the renewable resource
9 Fibers for the next millennium
9.1 High-tenacity and high-modulus fibers
9.2 Microdenier (ultra-fine) fibers and biomimetics
9.3 The next stage: technological improvements
9.4 The next century: respect for people’s quality of life and harmony with nature
9.5 New frontier fibers (super-function fiber materials, etc.)
9.6 Super-biomimetic fiber materials
9.7 Super-natural materials
9.8 Resources recycling
9.9 Fibers for health
9.10 Conclusion
Author index
Trade name index
Company index
Subject index
Preface to the first edition
This new insight into the world of New Fibers is presented from a Japanese perspective. This deliberate emphasis has arisen for two reasons. First, the basis of the material was the extremely successful Japanese text by Dr Hongu, which has already sold more than 20,000 copies, and is now in its 5th edition. Secondly, the treatment illustrates the unique Japanese approach to technical developments, once the basic break-through has been achieved.
The “super-fibers” which emerged during the 1980s are undoubtedly a chemical and technological triumph. Nevertheless, the excellence of their material properties could not have been given full scope without the imaginative exploitation which has been led by the Japanese. To achieve the aesthetic qualities of natural fur, silk, wool and leather, and to greatly improve on their performance using synthetic materials, require technical mimicry and a fundamental understanding of the properties and manner in which the natural fibers were created. Nature is able to introduce particular structures which impart their own characteristic touch, smell, colour and biological function to biopolymers. This book explains how these processes were studied and subsequently imitated.
The sheer beauty and economy of nature enables complicated polymers first to be fabricated, which then control living processes. The harnessing of these secrets has now led to the availability of new biopolymers which can impart living characteristics into the inanimate. The totality of this chemical, technical, biosynthetic and biomimetic approach has now yielded the hightech fibers, which find new applications in areas as varied as electronics, medicine, space, nuclear power, the oceans, the earth and the race for perfection in sport.
It is directed mainly at the scientist who is broad in his technical interest and the layman who seeks a glimpse of this brave new world of New Fibers. There is enough information for the specialist to follow up the product and commercial leads which may be relevant to his work, but is not meant, however, to be a technical manual. Students of fiber science will not find this information collected so coherently elsewhere, and the book could serve as a starting point in their exploration of the subject. To Western scientists and technologists, the Japanese approach might prove a revelation. Above all, we hope the reader enjoys this fascinating subject.
Finally, we would like to acknowledge and thank the persons who have assisted us in the production of this volume. Dr Kanji Kajiwara (Kyoto Institute of Technology) and Ms Machiko Takigami (Gunma University) have given invaluable support in interpreting and translating the Japanese data. Ms Linda Sneddon undertook all the typing and Stephen Williams all the art work. Together these two set out the pages [of the 1st edition] in their final form. We warmly thank our four colleagues for their complete dedication and for giving selflessly of their professional expertise.
TATSUYA HONGU
GLYN 0. PHILLIPS