RIVALS TO WOOL AND SILK

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 287, 5 December 1939, Page 11

RIVALS TO WOOL AND SILK

SPUN GL4SS AND WOOD FABRICS BIG ADVANCES STOCKINGS THAT CANNOT LADDER The curator of the New South Wales Technological Museum (Mr. A. R. Penfold) who was sent abroad by the State Government last January to study modern science museums, has returned with a report whiah may form the basis of the Cabinet’s plans for the erection of a Science Museum to replace the existing Technological Museum. He is also submitting to Cabinet reports on the production of liquid fuels from coal, and the manufacture of synthetic fibres. "While 1 was abroad." said Mr. Penfold, “I had an unrivalled opportunity to study what I believe to be the two greatest developments in textile chemistry in the last quarter of a century. I mean the production of nylon, the fibre which is made from a synthetic resin produced from a coal tar compound, and the production of synthetic fibre made from spun glass. ‘‘Ladder-Proof Hosiery” “These two processes are destined to have an enormous influence on the lives of human beings. Here, for example, is a pair of artificial silk stockings I brought back from the United States. They are made, in the last resource, from coal tar and they have many advantages over ‘silk’ blockings made of any other substance, real or artificial. They resist water and chemicals, they are unusually strong and dry rapidly after laundering and after immersion in water they return quickly to their original shape, because of the elasticity of the fibres. In no circumstances will they produce a 'ladder.' ” Mr. Penfold said that hosiery made from thes» synthetic materials was being manufactured at Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A., where a great factory had been built by the famous chemical manufacturing corporation of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Comj pany, makers of dyes, artificial fabrics and plastics, and the principal manuI factures of explosives for the United States army and navy. This wealthy company, which intended to export nylon hosiery to Aus- ; tralia, was also manufacturing nylon 'hairbrushes and toothbrushes, fishing 'lines, sewing threads and dress fabrics. Fabrics From Glass ! Of equal importance was the rej markable success which had been : achieved with the manufacture of I fibre produced from spun glass. The [fibre was spun from glass marbles, ! chemically prepared, and was so fine | that 102 fibres had to be drawn to- ' gether to make a strand, and two ’ strands were wound together to make a single thread. From these threads ! could be manufactured tape, braid, all | manner of fabrics, and electrical inI sulating materials. Glass fibre was now being made on ■ a commercial scale by the great Corning Glass Works at Toledo. i ’I mention the names of these two American companies,” said Mr. Penj fold, “merely to indicate that the : production of these synthetic fibres has passed the experimental stage, and that enormous capital is backing their production on a large scale. "Ties made from glass, for example, can now be bought in New York, anc fabrics, particularly curtains of singular beauty, can be seen in the show windows in Park and Fifth Avenues. 1 Factories are also being built in England to manufacture similar product:, I and before the outbreak of war i iieard that licences for their manufacture were also being sold to Germany ; and Italy. "While I was in Germany I had ' first-hand opportunity to study fabrics made from wood pulp fibre. There is no question of the excellence of this product, which has made substantial advances in quality in the last 12 ! months. By Government decrees, no textiles can’be made in Germany uni less they contain a minimum of about i 25 per cent, synthetic fibre. So mixed, : fabrics retain their shape after a i shower of rain. I can assure those Australians who have been inclined to discredit the achievements of chemical science in this direction, that the German business man, in his partly syn- ; thetic suit, looks as smartly dressed as the Londoner in his all-wool suit I from Savile Row. Fibre From Milk I "In Italy they have achieved coni siderable success with the product ■ known as lanital, a fibre made from milk. Early samples suffered when exposed to moisture and had a cheesey odour; but these defects have now neen removed. Italy is now producing 40,0001 b. of lanital fibre a day. It is being largely used in the manufacture of uniforms for the Italian army.” Mr. Penfold said that he was convinced that it would not be to Australia’s advantage to manufacture fuels from coal. Production was enormously costly. More good could be done by spending money on the protection of the sea lanes to the United States and other oil-producing countries, and by improved methods of . preserving socks of petrol in Australia.