Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-03-28
ANOTHER ARTIFICIAL SILK.
This Made of Cotton Fibre Suitably Treat
ed with chemicals.

thlS Hsaue OF tottOn tIDfe SUITABLY IreaI-
ed with Chemicals.
Several limitations of silk are already
known to the cry goods trade One
of the first to be invented was pro-
duced by spinning soft gummy sub
stance obtained from collodion, or gun
cotton dissolved in alcohol. The
mechanism for drawing this material
out into a spiders web was designed
by a Frenchman, Chardonnet. His
product never had any extensive use,
tor some reason, though it had beau
tiful lustre. The most satisfactory re-
suits have been secured by subjecting
cotton thread to soaking in alkali,
while under strain. The inventor of
the system was Mr.. Mercer, and the
process is called mercerizing. A great
deal Of merceriZed cotton is now sold
as SUCH and great deal more is mar
heted under names which do not afford
to the uninitiated an idea of its real
character. In any case, though, it is
poor imitation OF silk, but an excellent
thing in itself.
Within the last few weeks still an
other plan has been reported from
Germany. AS is common in such
cases, The preliminary announcement
is made in a sensational way, and it
probably eXaggerafes the facts. Still,
it is evident that the process is slffer-
ent from Mercer's, and the claim is
made that the goods are superior to
those which are now so well known.
The Wool and Cotton Reporter has
found o description Of the new method,
which seems to resemble Chardonnet's
in st least one particular. The cotton
fibre is dissolved completely, but the
chemicals employed are different from
those used by Chardonnet. Our con-
temporary says:
A German chemist and an Austrian
Ii echanical engineer invented the pro-
cess. They have obtained letters pat
ont for it in all countries. They mix
| copper, ammonia and cotton waste in
a large vat. In about six hours liquid
of dark blue color is formed which
rasses into large filter press, and
| then ont of small glass tubes into
mild sulphuric acid bath. 1t is then
| of a gela.inous consistency, and is
caught by q small glass rod, in the
hand of boy or girl, and reeled onto
q large spool as it passes through the
bath. The copper and ammonia, to-
getber with other chemicals, are de-
posted as a sediment, and are used
again. AS the threads are reeled, they
receive a bath of cold water from
siphon. The numerous spools centre
on one large spool, and are then reeled
onto another, and so on, always under
cold water, until all chemicals and
acids are removed. This stage of the
process occupies about four hours, and
afterward the thread is taken to dry
ing room.
It is stated that ihe product is brill
liant in color and finish, and of con-
siderable textile strength. The thread
is said to consist CT 10 or 30 fibres
twisted into one, but it can be made
to any thickness required. The pres
cnt price OF the product is about 60
percent of real silk. The machines are
small and compact, and are operated
by ingeniously applied electric power;
each machine can be started or stopped
without interference with the others.
The labor, too, is nearly all unskilled,
and the patent is the property of q
corr oration.