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SYNTHETIC MATERIALS
The clothes which we wear are made of fabrics. Fabrics are made
from fibres obtained from natural or artificial sources. Fibres are
also used for making a large variety of household articles.
Natural fibres like cotton, wool, silk, etc., are obtained from plants
or animals. The synthetic fibres, on the other hand, are made by
human beings. That is why these are called synthetic or manmade fibres.
All fabrics are materials made from many fibres, which are
obtained from natural or artificial sources.
Cotton is a natural fibre obtained from the cotton plant. All
synthetic fibres are man-made fibres that are prepared by a
number of processes using raw material of petroleum origin,
called petrochemicals.
A synthetic fibre is also a chain of small units joined together.
Each small unit is actually a chemical substance. Many such small
units combine to form a large single unit called a polymer. The
word polymer comes from two Greek words; poly meaning many
and mer meaning part/unit. So, a polymer is made of many
repeating units.
Polymers occur in nature also. Cotton, for example, is a polymer
called cellulose. Cellulose is made up of a large number of glucose
units.

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3.2 Types of Synthetic Fibres

A. Rayon
silk fibre obtained from silkworm was discovered in China and
was kept as a closely guarded secret for a long time. Fabric
obtained from silk fibre was very costly. But its beautiful texture
fascinated everybody. Attempts were made to make silk
artificially. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, scientists
were successful in obtaining a fibre having properties similar to
that of silk. Such a fibre was obtained by chemical treatment of
wood pulp. This fibre was called rayon or artificial silk. Although
rayon is obtained from a natural source, wood pulp, yet it is a
man-made fibre. It is cheaper than silk and can be woven like silk
fibres. It can also be dyed in a wide variety of colours. Rayon is
mixed with cotton to make bed sheets or mixed with wool to make
carpets.
Characteristics of rayon
Rayon is cheaper than silk and can be woven like silk
fibres.
It is highly absorbent, soft and comfortable.
It is easy to dye in a wide range of colours and drapes well.
Uses of rayon
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Rayon widely used in all types of clothing and home

furnishings.
Rayon mixed with cotton to make bed sheets and
curtains or with wool to make carpets.

B. Nylon
Nylon is another man-made fibre. In 1931, it was made without
using any natural raw material (from plant or animal). It was
prepared from coal, water and air. It was the first fully synthetic
fibre.
Nylon fibre was strong, elastic and light. It was lustrous and easy
to wash. So, it became very popular for making clothes.
We use many articles made from nylon, such as socks, ropes,
tents, toothbrushes, car seat belts, sleeping bags, curtains etc.
Nylon Is really so strong that we can make nylon parachutes and
ropes for rock climbing . A nylon thread is actually stronger than a
steel wire.
Nylon is a synthetic fibre made from coal, water and air. It is
elastic, very lustrous and easy to wash. It dries quickly and retains
its shape.
Uses of nylon
Nylon is used to make seat belts in cars, curtains, sleeping
bags, tents, tooth brushe bristles, socks and ropes,
It is also used to make parachutes and ropes for rockclimbing.
It is used to make fishing nets
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C. Polyester and Acrylic

Polyester is another synthetic fibre. Fabric made from this fibre
does not get wrinkled easily. It remains crisp and is easy to wash.
So, it is quite suitable for making dress material. You must have
seen people wearing nice polyester shirts and other dresses.
Terylene is a popular polyester. It can be drawn into very fine
fibres that can be woven like any other yarn.
My mother always buy PET bottles and PET jars for storing rice
and suger.I wonder what PET is!
PET is a very familiar form of polyester. It is used for making
bottles, utensils, films, wires and many other useful products.
Look around and make a list of things made of polyester.
Polyester (Poly+ester) is actually made up of the repeating units
of a chemical called an ester. Esters are the chemicals which give
fruits theirsmell. Fabrics are sold by names like polycot, polywool,
terrycot etc. As the name suggests, these are made by mixing
two types of fibres. Polycot is a mixture of polyester and cotton.
Polywool is a mixture of polyester and wool.
We wear sweaters and use shawls or blankets in the winter. Many
of these are actually not made from natural wool,though they
appear to resemble wool.These are prepared from another type of
synthetic fibre called acrylic. The wool obtained from natural
sources is quite expensive, whereas clothes made from acrylic are
relatively cheap. They are available in a variety of colours.
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Synthetic fibres are more durable and affordable which makes

them more popular than natural fibres.
You have already performed an activity of burning natural and
synthetic fibres (Activity 3.6 of Class VII). What did you observe?
When you burn synthetic fibres you find that their behaviour is
different from that of the natural fibres. You must have noticed
that synthetic fibres melt on heating. This is actually a
disadvantage of synthetic fibres. If the clothes catch fire, it can be
disastrous. The fabric melts and sticks to the body of the person
wearing it. We should, therefore, not wear synthetic clothes while
working in the kitchen or in a laboratory.
Oh!Now i understand why my mother never wears polyster cloths
while working in kitchen.
Polyester
Polyester is a synthetic fibre, derived from coal, air, water and
petroleum.
Polyester is made of repeating chemical units called esters.
Poly + Ester Polyester
- ester - ester - ester - ester - ester Fabrics which are madeup of polyester can be washed and dried
quickly,
Polycot is a mixture of polyester and cotton and polywool is a
mixture of polyester and wool.
Fabric made from polyester retains its shape and remains crisp.
Polyester is easy to wash and dry.
Terylene is a popular form of polyester, which can be drawn into
very fine fibres. These fibres can be woven like any other
yarn. PET or poly-ethylene terephthalate is another familiar form
of polyester, which is used to make bottles, utensils, films and
wires. Polyester is also used for making hoses, ropes, nets, thread,
raincoats, fleece jackets, clothing and medical textiles.

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Acrylic
Acrylic is a synthetic polymer of methyl methacrylate. Fabric
made from acrylic is warm to wear, retains its shape and is
durable.
Acrylic is easy to wash and dries quickly.
Acrylic is used in apparel like sweaters and socks and in home
furnishings such as furniture, carpets, blankets and upholstery
fabrics. Industrial uses of acrylic include craft yarns, awnings,
boat and vehicle covers and luggage.

Plastics are polymers of long carbon chains. They consist of very

long molecules each composed of carbon atoms linked in chains.
Fossil fuels contain hydrocarbons (compounds containing
hydrogen and carbon), which provide the building blocks for long
polymer molecules. These small building blocks, called
monomers, link together to form long carbon chains called
polymers.
These monomers can be linked in linear manner to form linear
polymers and linked cross linked manner to form cross linked
polymers.

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Plastic has a wide variety of uses in our day to day life.

Thermoplastics
Plastics that get deformed easily on heating and can be bent
easily are known as thermoplastics. Most of the linear polymers or
combination of linear and cross-linked polymers are
thermoplastics.
Example: PVC, polythene, nylon, acrylic, celluloid and cellulose
acetate
Thermosetting plastics
Plastics which when moulded, cannot be softened by heating are
called thermosetting plastics. Heavily cross linked polymers are
the thermosetting plastics.
Example: Bakelite, melamine, vulcanised rubber, duroplast and
epoxy resin
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Characteristics of plastics
Plastics do not corrode easily
Plastics can carry easily as they are low weight materials.
Plastics are strong and durable.
Plastics can be easily moulded into different shapes and
sizes.
Plastics are poor conductors of heat and electricity. Thus
used to make handles of cooking vessels.

Uses of plastics
Plastic

Uses

Polythene

Used for preparing polythene

bags, pipes, buckets, and
unbreakable bottles.

Acrylic

Used for making window panes of

cars and trucks.

Polypropylene

Used for making ropes, fibres, and

popes.

Styrene

Used for making acid caps, cases

of voltaic cells, etc.

Teflon

Used in making non- sticky pans.

Melamine

Used in making vessels.

Bakelite

Used for making switches, plugs,

combs, handles, etc.

Celluloid

Used for making photographic

films, combs and soap boxes.

PVC (poly vinyl

chloride)

Used in food packaging, making

of sanitary pipes.

LDPE (Low

Used making of in food bottles

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density
polyethylene)

and packaging of foods, polybags.

HDPE (High
density
polyethylene)

Used in making food and drink

containers and in making of
containers which are used in
laboratory to store chemicals.

PET
(polyethylene
terephthalate)

Used in beverage bottles and

food containers.

Household appliances
Special plastic is used in the making of cookware used in
microwave ovens for cooking food. In microwave ovens, the heat
cooks the food but does not affect the plastic vessel. Teflon
coating is another plastic which is used in non-stick cook ware.
Teflon is a special plastic on which oil and water do not stick.
Health care
The packaging material of tablets, syringes, threads used for
stitching wounds and doctor gloves etc are made of plastics.
Transportation
The interior parts of a car like the dash board, and some other
parts of helicopters and aeroplanes are made of plastic.
Harmful effects of plastics
Polythene bags are non-biodegradable and cause environmental
pollution. Burning of plastics produce large amount of smoke
which cause environmental pollution. They undergo a process
known as photo degradation, in which they break down into
smaller and smaller toxic particles. These particles contaminate
soil and water and end up entering the food chain when eaten
accidentally by animals like cows. In addition polythene bags can
choke cattle to death. Hundreds and thousands of whales,
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dolphins, sea turtles and other marine mammals die every year
after consuming discarded polythene bags.
Polythene bags are also responsible for the clogging of drainage
systems in cities and towns. Plastics take several years to
decompose. Thus, to save environment we should use plastic
properly and avoid their misuse.
Polythene bags are non-biodegradable and cause environmental
pollution. Burning of plastics produce large amount of smoke
which cause environmental pollution. They undergo a process
known as photo degradation, in which they break down into
smaller and smaller toxic particles. These particles contaminate
soil and water and end up entering the food chain when eaten
accidentally by animals like cows. In addition polythene bags can
choke cattle to death. Hundreds and thousands of whales,
dolphins, sea turtles and other marine mammals die every year
after consuming discarded polythene bags.
Polythene bags are also responsible for the clogging of drainage
systems in cities and towns. Plastics take several years to
decompose. Thus, to save environment we should use plastic
properly and avoid their misuse.

6 Plastics and the Environment

When we go to the market, we get usually things wrapped in
plastic or packed in polythene bags. That is one reason why
plastic waste keeps getting accumulated in our homes.
Ultimately, plastic finds its way in the garbage. Disposal of plastic
is a major problem.
A material which gets decomposed through natural processes,
such as action by bacteria, is called biodegradable. A material
which is not easily decomposed by natural processes is termed as
non-biodegradable, it is not en

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Since plastic takes several years to decompose vironment

friendly. It causes environmental pollution. Besides, the burning
process in the synthetic material is quite sl owand it does not get
completely burnt easily. In the process it releases lots of
poisonous fumes into the atmosphere causing air pollution.
Avoid the use of plastics as far as possible. Make use of bags
made of cotton or jute when you go for shopping. The
biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes should be collected
separately and disposed off separately. Practise this in your
homes. Can you suggest some other ways in which you can
contribute towards reducing the use of plastic materials?
It is better to recycle the plastic waste.Most of the thermoplastics
can be recycled. Make a list of items that can be recycled.
However, during recycling certain colouring agents are added.
This limits its usage especially for storage of food.
As a responsible citizen remember the 4R principle. Reduce,
Reuse, Recycle and Recover. Develop habits which are
environment friendly.
Do not throw plastic bags in the water bodies or on the road.
Take a cotton carry-bag or a jute bag while going for shopping.
Try to minimise the use of plastic materials e.g., use a steel lunch
box instead of a plastic one.

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