Emergence of First Regenerated Cellulose Fiber Industry in the Late 19^<th> Century : Chardonnet's Artificial Silk

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An attempt was made to investigate apre-history of emergence of chemical fiber industry. Socially widely prevailed tendency in late 19th century to produce high-value products by modifying chemically the naturally-occurred materials, which had been exclusively employed for low-value commodity, formed a strong incentive to invent new artificial materials such as cellulose nitrate. Existing industries were activated remarkably by replacing the natural materials with cellulose nitrate, which was then applied to bear new industries. Chemical fiber industry was a typical example. Numerous trials to produce artificial fiber from other materials than natural silk were historically surveyed mainly on the patent specifications. All the inventions, except Swan's, prior to Chardonnet's, were of 'Imagination Age'. Artificial thread was first produced temporarily on a small scale for electric incandescent lamp by carbonizing cellulose nitrate (to obtain carbon conductor). Electric lamp industry was a precursor of artificial industry. Five essential steps were noticed to be fulfilled concurrently to produce artificial silk for cloth or textiles. It was shown that all essential steps each had been invented, even though being far from perfection, separately by others than Chardonnet prior to Chardonnet's invention, which was commercialized on large scale for clothing. Chardonnet's process was consisted of cellulose nitrate, collodion, dry (or wet) spinning and after-treatment (denitration). In this sense, there was no significant originality in the principle of his process. However, Chardonnet's technology, judged from his patent specifications, was outstandingly precise and accurate enough to enable any one of average engineers or chemists to reproduce Chardonnet's invention by following the specification alone. Then, his patent specifications are equivalent or sometimes superior to contemporary scientific and technical papers. Chardonnet was the first, who used the term 'artificial silk' for the fibers spun from collodion. Chardonnet was also the first person, who applied his inventions internationally, and was the most productive: He had obtained 44 patents, which can be classified into 15 categories, ranging from 1884 to 1923 over almost 40 years (until one year before his death). These inventions had been commercialized worldwide by himself with financial help of investors. His predecessors each applied only single patent, which was not commercialized, to one country. Chardonnet studied at first in laboratory, then established a bench plant, which he operated for several years to accumulate know-how before commercialization. His development procedure is technologically very reasonable and now widely adopted in industry. Chardonnet's process evolved continuously even after commercialization.
奈良産業大学の論文
2003-06-30

Emergence of First Regenerated Cellulose Fiber Industry in the Late 19^<th> Century : Chardonnet's Artificial Silk

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