"MADE IN GERMANY."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19196, 9 December 1925, Page 14

"MADE IN GERMANY."

WOOL FROM WOOD PULP. A WARNING TO GROWERS. BRITISH SCIENTIST'S STATEMENT [from our own correspondent.] SYDNEY, Nov. 28. The announcement of Sir Frank Heath, a visiting British scientist, that Germany is already manufacturing synthetic wool has caused a good deal of grave thought here. He warns growers that they should "strain every nerve" to improve lower grades of natural wool. In an interview in Melbourne Sir Frank pointed to the immense loss that had followed tho manufacture of synthetic silk. He said that lie had staggered the Wool Council by stating that synthetic wool was already in actual course of production from wood pulp in Germany. He would not claim for the artificial article that it possessed every quality of wool, but it was near enough to it to menace the lower grades. For that reason it was incumbent that every nerve should be strained to improve tho lower grades of wool to an extent that they would be able to meet tho competition when it came, as it assuredly would. Ho wanted the woolgrowers te use every endeavour to improve, the grade of crossbred wools, in order to obtain elasticity of fibre. By this means it was possible to improve greatly the class of cloth woven from crossbred wools. Another Scientist's Opinion. Commenting on Sir Frank Heath's statements, Dr. Loftus Hills, a wellknown scientist, said that all chemists admitted tho feasibility of producing the wool molecules chemically, but, he added, "the problem of producing a substance which will have all Ihe chief qualities of wool is ono that I think is impossible of solution." He declared, however, that Australia would do well to heed Sir I rank Heath's warning.

At Sydney University there are several specimens of synthetic woollen fabric developed from cotton. There is a square of cream woollen cloth that from its softness and its closeness of texture might be a patch of cream cricketing flannelPinned to it is a square of stiff, rough, open-textured cotton fabric, that is coarse to the touch and almost transparent. The first piece of cloth was developed from a piece like the second. Then there is a patch of green-flowered cotton fabric. And pinned to it is a square of soft woollen cloth of the same colour and pattern. Again it is a case of origin and result.

Professor Kenner, of the Organic Chemistry School, obtained these specimens a few months' ago from Basle, in Switzerland. In an interview, Professor Kenner said that the process of developing synthetic wool was a discovery of the last year or so. A group of chemists were operating the process for the Philana Company at Basle. Details of the treatment had not all been published, but tho broad principle, said Professor Kenner, was the treatment of cotton with very highly concentrated nitric acid. Properties of the Product.

It was claimed for the new synthetic product, he said, that it increased by 50 per cent, the resistance of the cloth to tearing. It was also declared that it reinforced by from 200 to 300 per cent, the resistance of cloth to friction- The warming properties of the material, too, were claimed to be substantially increased. The feel of the cloth, too, was held more closely to resemble woollen than cotton cloth. The originators of the process had declared that blouses, underclothing and other garments had been made avid worn, and that their wearing and washing qualities had proved to be faultless. It was claimed that tho material did not shrink in the wash.

Those associated with the product, Professor Kenner said, were declaring, in addition, that philana cloth may be destined to fill a similar new position in relation to wool as that which artificial silk now holds in relation to silk. For technical reasons it was stated this process could only be carried out in large chemical works.

Professor Kenner said that he has exhibited the specimens and discussed the process with his organic chemistry class. He has al'so shown them to members of the Royal Society. As the warming quality of synthetic wool is declared to be equal to that of real wool, the possibilities, should tho process become commercially workable, are very far reaching.