NYLON-

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 50, 22 November 1941, Page 11

NYLON-

A TRIUMPH Oh’ CHEMICAL RESEARCH. “Nylon," hailed in America and England as the new high grade fibre for textiles, will first reach New Zealand as bristles in toothbrushes. “Nylon” is a synthetic fibre produced from coal, air and water, and was discovered in 1938 as, a result of ten years of intensive research instituted by Messrs, du Pont de Nemours. It surpasses in strength and elasticity any known textile fibre, whether cotton, linen, wool, silk or rayon it is one’aud a half times stronger than silk. “Nylon” has many uses: it can be produced in filaments as fine as a spider’s web from which yarns of any size can be spun, aud also in the form of bristles, rods, sheets, etc. Production and manufacture of “Nylon” yarns, fabrics and bristles is already advanced in U.S.A. Last yea* the amount produced exceeded 5,000,000 pounds weight. The bulk of this material went into the production of “Nylon” yarn and was used mostly for hosiery. In England today “Nylon” is being manufactured by Imperial Chemical Industries in two forms —in yarn and bristles. “Nylon” bristle has considerable advantages over hog bristles in toothbrushes—it wears better and does not break off or go soft in service. It absorbs only one-fifth as much moisture as hog bristle and absorbs it more slowly. The surface of “Nylon” is smooth ami hygienic, is not susceptible to bacterial attack, and does not. become soggy and dirty iu use. In a recent test iu a machine simulating Hie use of a toothbrush, the abrasion and fatigue was such that after 70,009 scrubs, the “Nylon” brush was intact, with every tuft in place and only a few bristles out of alignment, whereas in a high grade hog bristle brush, subjected to the same test, the bristles were broken and flattened. “Nylon” toothbrushes made from this wonderful material are now manufactured in New Zealand. They are individually packaged to roach you in perfect condition, and cost no more than the ordinary high grade bristle brush. Ask your chemist or dealer to show you the new “Nylon” toothbrushes— every genuine “Nylon” brush has the word “Nylon” stamped prominently on the handle.—P.B.A