Synthetic and natural fibers, applications, and uses

Fibers is the plural of the word “fiber” and refers to threads whose ratio of length to diameter is more than 100 times. In general, fibers are classified into two categories, natural fibers, and synthetic fibers, and each of these two categories is divided into sub-categories.

Today, natural and synthetic fibers have many applications in different industries. From the industries related to the textile field to other industries that cause the demand and use of fibers to increase in a special way.

Natural fibers

Natural fibers are divided into three categories: plant fibers, animal fibers, and mineral fibers. One of the most widely used natural fibers is cotton, which is classified under plant fibers and is widely used in the textile industry. Hemp, chatay, manila, jute, sisal, abaca, ramie, bamboo, etc. are also considered as other natural plant fibers.

Another category of natural fibers are animal fibers that are obtained from the processing of the body covering of some animals. Among the natural animal fibers, we can mention wool, cashmere, mohair, and silk.

Another type of natural fibers is mineral fibers, which include asbestos or fireproof cotton.

artificial fiber

Synthetic fibers have wider ranges than natural fibers. These types of fibers are a range of polymers that can be converted into fibers. Synthetic fibers have very important and diverse applications. The range of applications of these fibers has caused them to be used in different sectors and areas such as household and daily use in the simplest way and in different industries in the most complex way. Synthetic fibers are also used in complex applications to increase the efficiency of products. Polyester fibers, polyamide fibers, polypropylene fibers, polyolefin fibers, acrylic fibers, polyvinyl chloride fibers and vinyl alcohol fibers are among the most important and widely used synthetic fibers.

Polyester fibers

Polyester fibers constitute the largest volume of synthetic fiber production in the world. Polyester is a type of polymer that contains ester groups and mainly includes polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Other types of polyesters have also been produced, including polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) and polytrimethyl terephthalate (PTT). These two types of polyester fibers are used in carpet fibers due to the favorable springiness of their constituent fibers.

Polyester fibers alone do not have elastic properties, but after combining them with other types of fibers, elasticity can be created in polyester fibers. On the other hand, cotton, as a natural plant fiber, breathes much better than polyester as a synthetic fiber. The reason for the optimal breathability in cotton is that it allows air flow to pass through the fibers. This factor has caused clothes made of polyester fibers to be more resistant to moisture and wrinkles than cotton clothes.

The advantages of polyester fibers are many. Polyester fibers have a favorable range of physical properties. Among the advantages of polyester fibers are strength, lightness, dyeability, resistance to wrinkles, resistance to the effects of chemicals, easy washing, quick drying, resistance to stretching and shrinking, and resistance to radiation. UV, low absorptivity, cheapness, and mass production of petrochemical sources are mentioned.

It is natural that polyester fibers also have disadvantages that should be considered when using them. The first disadvantage that can be attributed to polyester fibers is that these fibers are made of chemicals and their long-term direct contact with the body can lead to some problems. Also, polyester fibers cause the body to sweat more due to its insulation. High flammability, creation of static electricity, long-lasting smell compared to natural fibers and poor fluff retention compared to nylon, carpet and carpet are other disadvantages of polyester fibers.

Of course, these things do not mean that polyester fibers cause damage to the body. Biodegradable polyesters, which are prepared from lactic acid, glycolic acid, and other hydroxy acids, do not cause any problems in contact with the body. This type of biodegradable polyester fiber is even used in the production of some medical devices, including dissolvable sutures.