CHEMIST'S WARNING

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 59, 9 March 1940, Page 23

CHEMIST'S WARNING

ARTIFICIAL WOOIi:

ONLY A MATTER OF TIME

Only the limitations of present-day chemistry prevent the,manufacture of fibres/having "the "essential ,niolecular structure of wool, and when the secret of this structure is discovered, as it niust be in time, artificial fibres will be produced with all the properties of the genuine product of the sheep. That is the opinion of Mr. Martin R. Freney, wool research chemist at the.McMaster Laboratory, Sydney, University.

Discussing the outlook for wool, Mr. Freney emphasised the probability of . a, special artificial fibre being .developed to fulfil each of the special functions of'wool as a textile fibre. "For some of these jobs," he said, "cellulose fibres are already satisfactory, and their utility might :be extended. For purposes which may become more varied as time progresses,

synthetic fibres may be substituted for wool. In the present stage of their development, both the cellulose and synthetic fiores can be regarded only as wool adulterants, for large, percent* ages of wool must be present in a fabric to give it its woolly nature. "I do not think/ , said. Mr. Freney, "that the cellulose'; or synthetic fibres will develop so that they have the characteristics of wool, and .at the Jfme time be able to compete with, wool economically. The protein fibres, however, are in a different categoryCrude protein material is cheap, and enormous supplies might be, obtained! from fish. This source is an international one which could be , drawn, upon by any nation, and so it could serve as an abundant source of cheap raw material. ? "Method must first be found—and It will be found—whereby this raw material can be converted to a fibra having the essential molecular structure of wool, and which, consequently, will have the properties of wool. The - success of such artificial wools : will depend on the cheapness with which, they can be produced. The possibility oi the process involved being cheap seems remote at present. : "Wdol's best defence against these possible developments is to lower production costs to such an extent that the makers of artificial fibres have little margin for profit, thus removing the incentive for imitating wool as a -textile fibre. Wool's disadvantages must also be removed so that it will become more popular. These disadvantages are shrinkage, susceptibility t» moth attack, arid prickliness. Lastly, no effort should be spared to increase our knowledge of Wool so that it becomes plastic in the hands of . the chemist. This would enable him toj use it as a raw material for new products in spheres which need not be strictly limited to the textile industry." . ■, ...