ARTIFICIAL WOOL

Northern Advocate, 18 April 1932, Page 6

ARTIFICIAL WOOL

INVENTION PERFECTED. VERY CLOSE IMITATION. COMMERCIAL PURPOSES.

(Received 0 a.m.) NEW YORK, April ,13. i

The authorities of Columbia University announced today that' their chemical engineering department, under the direction of Professor Ralph H. McKe.e, has perfected for commercial production an artificial wool made from jute.

Professor McKee said the substitute could be manufactured at a cost of 25 cents a pound, compared wdth the current price of 3d cents. While stating that the substance could hardly be distinguished from “all wool,” the scientist said he was not ready to compare it with fine merino

in any way. An interviewer was shown samples of yarn-, felt and cloth in which various percentages up to 70 of the substitute had been used. Its appearance was good. The professor said: “Several years ago, when wool was about SO cents a pound,. I started to work. I, obtained a satisfactory product from jute in about a year which, when woven into cloth, either alone or, better, mixed with wool, made cloth which is warm and will wear about as well as w t ool.

“The process has never been commercialised up to now, because real wool dropped- from 80 to 35 cents a pound. However, it serves as a guarantee against excessively :high prices for wool in the future.”

Process Explained, Tlic process was explained by Professor McKee as follows: —“The natural colouring is removed from the raw jute which can be cultivated in various parts of the world, including tropical Australia. This is achieved by a mild alkali treatment. The jute fibres are then, separated by acid solution followed by strong alkali treatment, and 15 per cent of caustic soda, which puts kinks in the strands and enables then to adhere and retain heat. “When wool reaches 50 cents a pound in Now York the manufacture of the substitute will be commercially feasible. The equipment needed is not particularly expensive, being principally tanks and adequate water supply.”

Professor McKee was reluctant to discuss the economic, factors, especially the possible effect of the process upon the wool-growing countries of the world. He said he saw no reason why Australia should worry over the prospect of competition. He seemed to prefer to discuss the matter academically.

An interesting note in the university’s announcement was news of the development of a process for the manufacture of artificial diamonds of one to twenty carats in size, by a graduate student under the laboratory direction of Professor McKee,