When a new technology makes people ill, how high does the body count have to be before protectives steps are taken? This disturbing book tells a dark story of hazardous manufacturing, poisonous materials, environmental abuses, political machinations, and economics trumping safety concerns. It explores the century-long history of "fake silk," or cellulose viscose, used to produce such products as rayon textiles and tires, cellophane, and everyday kitchen sponges. Paul Blanc uncovers the grim history of a product that crippled and even served a death sentence to many industry workers while also releasing toxic carbon disulfide into the environment. Viscose, an innovative and lucrative product first introduced in the early twentieth century, quickly became a multinational corporate enterprise. Blanc investigates industry practices from the beginning through two highly profitable world wars, the midcentury export of hazardous manufacturing to developing countries, and the current "greenwashing" of viscose as an eco-friendly product. Deeply researched and boldly presented, this book brings to light an industrial hazard whose egregious history ranks with those of asbestos, lead, and mercury.

This is a comprehensive work by industrial and academic specialists proving up-to-date information on the chemistry, physics, process technology, applications and markets for man-made cellulosic fibres. It covers the properties and applications of viscose rayon, cupprammonium rayon and the new solvent-spun fibres as well as considering their relationships with the natural cellulosics such as cotton and the synthetic polymer fibres such as polyester.This overview of the only truly, naturally recyclable fibres and the latest manufacturing techniques that are being developed to produce them will be of interest to professionals in textile production, research and development, manufacturing chemists and textile technologists.The nonwovens and paper industries that use cellulose as a basic ingredient of their products will also find it valuable as will medical textiles producers and geotextiles engineers.

Manufactured Fibre Technology provides an accessible and comprehensive treatment of the chemical, physical and mechanical processes involved in the production of all important commodity manufactured fibres and most of the industrial fibres. The emphasis is on the fundamental principles and industrial aspects of production. Latest developments in manufactured fibres in terms of manufacturing processes, characteristics and their applications are also covered. Manufactured Fibre Technology is designed around twenty chapters with a balance of basic principles and production of specific fibre types. Newer and industrially relevant areas such as high speed spinning, production of speciality fibres (including microfibres), computer simulation of spinning, high performance fibres, spun-bonding and melt-blowing, and re-use of fibre waste are included. The structure, property and application areas of each fibre type are also discussed, thus providing a broad understanding of the subject. In addition, various aspects related to the testing and characterisation of fibres and polymers are reviewed. This book is an invaluable resource to students, lecturers, industrial technologists and researchers in this subject area.