HulshofKnittings

General

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Viscose is a ropy organic fluid which is used at the production of rayon yarns and cellophane. Also the name viscose is, however, used as a synonym for rayon.

The production process goes as follows: cellulose wood or cotton is treated with sodium hydroxyde, and then is mixed with carbon disulfide. Cellulose xanthaat is formed that is solved in more sodium hydroxyde. This forms the viscose solution.

This solution is possible hot by a narrow slit being pressed (using an extrusion machine) to make cellophane, or by spinning rayon yarn spinneret. By means of an heartburn the cellulosestructure are repaired.

The production process for making viscose has been already discovered in 1891, by three British chemists: Charles Cross, Edward Bevan and Clayton Beadle. The patents on this process have been bought by Courtaulds. The process is now less used than in the past because carbon disulfide and by-products of the process are milieuvervuilend.