The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-01-04
Manufacturing Silk From Wood Pulp
lANl:s LIsTRoCs YARN THAT oUrRIv.,Is THE MOST COSTLY
COCOON SILK

cnt apparatus has been developed
from that used tor tho earlier process.
AN mechanical impurities. etc. are
removed from the viscoc solution by
wadding and cheese cloth. Tho clear
solution then passes To q small plati-
mum cap in which are drilled fifteen
or eighteen holes approximately
$1,000 inches in diameter. The cap is
Immersed in y acid bath and the al
kali in the viscosc as it energies from
tn" spinneret is neutralized by the
acid. tho particles of c%ellmlosc coming
together into fifteen or eighteen lis
ments according to- the number OF
holes i'm tho cap. Instead OF being
wound upon a reel at this point these
delicate threads are dropped over q
hobhin or pulley wheel into a small
hole in the top Of Il rapidly revolving
spinning box. This turns at some
1900 revolutions per minute. and the
centrifugal force throws the flamcnts
away from the center n winds them
up in a cake, also putting 81 slight
twist II the resultant yarn. The
yarn is then reelcd into bundles or
skeins on Il regular silk winder. being
drawn from II inside of tho cake.
The advantage of this method of
spinning b soluble %ccllulosc. as COM
nared with former methods in which
the flatncnts were rceled into skeins
as soon as spun. is the delicacy of the
apparatus. The filaments, until they
have been stretched and dried, are
exceedingly frall. and the less they
are handled the more perfect the yarn
produced.
All OF the artificial silks take tho
same d%yestuffs as cotton and are read
lily dyed. luster being brilliantly ac-
centuatcd especially by certain shades.
Care has to be taken. however, while
tho skeins are wet as the filamcnts
lose much of their strength while in
this condition. Tho cellulose is very
microscopic and, after absorbing a
large percentage of water. swells up
and its physical structure. is much
weakened. but as soon as the yarn
dries again it is MS strong as ever.
and the luster returns with all OF its
original brilliancy. The appended ia
bic, prepared by Haller. A. French en-
obtained as the result of strength
tests with various samples.
All tho forms Of soluble ccllulose
are progressive solutions. the chcmi-
cal reaction being continuous. and
great rare has to be taken to spin
the mixtures at exactly the right mo-
ment to get the hest results. In ron
sequence. n fixed temperature is neces-
sary for all rooms in which the solu-
ti"nS are mixed and aged.
Tho artificial silk filamcnts when
dry arc Of almost incredible f1ncness,
pound of yarn of some sizes con-
tanning as many as 500 miles Of in
djvidual illamcnts. The bulk Of the
yarn spun contains about 1900 wards
to the pound, eighteen flaments be-
inE twisted together to form the yarn.
\ conservative estimate of the total
length of the f1lamcnts produced daily
at the present time Ivy the worlds
factories is considerably over 3.O00,-
600 miles every t~wenty-four hours.
Cotton pulp is used instead of wood
pulp in some of the foreign artificial
mcnts with extensively in the United
States. but WOO pulp seems to be
considered more suitable. At the
present time about twenty per cent of
the worlds consumption of silk yarn
is the artificial product.
Many millions of money have been
expended in Europe and America In
the perfection OF the various processes
for spinning artificial silk, and as is
usual in the development or u new
industry. the inventors and original
pioneers. as a rule. have reaped but
o small share of tho profits. The first
American group to exploit viscose ex-
pended over $1,000, 900 in experiment.
ing. without obtaining any return
whatever. =;
Absolute strength i'm Kilograms per
millimctcr Of diameter:
Dry Wet.
Thread. Thread.
Cotton. ordinary thrcad..1l.5 1876
Cocoon or real silk raw
dn the gum) ........5O.4 400
Cocoon or real silk boiled
off gum removed) ....25.5 1875
Cocoon or real silk dyed
black and weighed to
III per lied so
Artificial silk. French
Observation-Disclosures
net ....14,7 ~
Artificial silk. German
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. I7,1 A.:
Artificial silk. French Gu
pra-ammonia-Paulv ...19,1 80
Artificial silk. English Wis
In another generation. however, the
manufacturer of artificial silk will
probably be standardized. and as we'll
understood as the wool and cotton in
dustry Of today.