Mary Ann Bradley, agf 10, of Asheville, N.C., for her question:
HOW IS POLYESTER MADE?
One of the popular synthetic fibers used these days is Dacron, a trademarked product manufactured
by the DuPont Company and used in industry, home furnishings and clothing. It is used also to make curtains, drapes, fire hoses and filters. The product was developed in the 1940s by British and DuPont scientists and was first seen on the U.S. market in 1951.
Polyester is a general name for any of a group of widely used synthetic products. Polyesters are tough materials that are manufactured in a wide variety of colors, shapes and sizes. Polyesters are manufactured in three basic forms: fibers, films and plastics.
Chemical substances found in air, coal, petroleum and water are used to make polyesters.
To make fabrics, polyester fibers are used. These fabrics are easy to care for and resist fading, wrinkling and mildew. They are used in carpets, permanent press clothing, underwear and upholstery. Polyester fibers are also used to make the cord fabric used in auto tires.
Polyester films are used to make magnetic tapes for use in computers and tape recorders. The film is also used as insulation for electric wires or as thin, airtight seals on packages.
Polyester plastics are used primarily in the production of reinforced plastic. Reinforced plastics are made bby strengthening plastics with such substances as glass fibers or paper. These strong plastics resist scratching and are not harmed by water or such chemicals as bleaches and cleaning fluids. They are used to make airplane windows, boats, automobiles, luggage, machine parts and many other products.
A synthetic compound called a resin is used to make polyester material. The resin can be shaped into fibers by forcing it through the tiny holes of a metal disk. The resin forms hairlike strings that are coiled and then stretched to give them greater strength.
Polyester films are made much the same way except the resin is forced through narrow slits instead of holes.
Polyester plastics are made from resins that have been molded into a simple shape, such as a sheet or a tube. The plastics are then sent to manufacturers who use various methods to make different polyester products.
One of the popular polyester films is another DuPont Company trademarked product called mylar. This is a strong and durable material that will withstand corrosive materials. It is an excellent electrical insulator for wires, cables and electronic parts.
Mylar is also used to make decorative materials and magnetic tape.