What is Rayon | property of rayon fibre | user of rayon

Rayon 

Rayon was the first man-made fibre and has been called 'the laboratory's first gift to the loom'. It is made from the cellulose of wood pulp or cotton.
This is why it is called a cellulosic polymer. Since
rayon is produced by the chemical treatment of
cellulose (a natural substance), it is not a pure
synthetic fibre.



Rayon was developed as a substitute for silk.
Silk is a natural fibre which has a beautiful
texture. Silk was probably discovered in China,
but its production was kept a closely guarded
secret for quite some time. Also, the silk fibre
was quite expensive. This led to extensive
attempts to develop an artificial fibre that looked
similar to silk and was relatively cheaper. The
attempts succeeded in the late 19th century
when scientists developed an artificial fibre by
chemical processing of wood pulp. This fibre
exhibited properties similar to that of silk and
was named rayon (also called artificial silk).

Properties of rayon fibre 

1. It is soft and shiny.

2. t is less expensive than silk.

3. It is comfortable to wear.

4. It can be easily dyed in different colours.

5. It absorbs moisture.

Uses of rayon

1. Clothing: Rayon is bright and lustrous and is used to make clothes and accessories.

2. Home furnishings: Bedspreads, blankets,upholstery, etc.

3. Industrial use: Medical surgery products, tyre cord, etc.