Orlon

Orlon, a synthetic acrylic fiber, was developed by E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (DuPont) as an offshoot of their pioneering work on nylon and rayon. In 1941, a DuPont scientist seeking a means of improving rayon devised a method of spinning acrylic polymer. Originally dubbed "Fiber A", by 1950 the trade name Orlon was adopted for spun polyacrylonitrile fibers, a material derived from polymers synthesized with natural gas, oxygen, and nitrogen. DuPont hoped that Orlon would replace wool in the marketplace.

Marketing Orlon was almost as problematic as developing and refining the polymer. Initially sold as a filament yarn (long, single strands), Orlon sales did not really take off until the mid-1950s. Orlon hit the fabric stores as Orlon staple, a bulky yarn composed of short fibers, around 1955 and launched a women's sweater fashion boom. By 1960 with sales reaching one million pounds per year, DuPont introduced new varieties of Orlon to meet the specific demands of blanket and carpet manufacturers. Up until 1990, Dupont offered Orlon acrylic carpet fibers, but has largely replaced its manufacture with newer synthetic fibers such as polyesters (Dacron), polypropylenes, and polyimides.

Orlon's climb to the top was not without pitfalls. After significant initial difficulties with spinning and dyeing were overcome, Orlon become more of a commercial success. As with natural birefringent crystals, Orlon fiber reveals slow and fast axes when examined under polarized light. Orlon is resistant to sunlight and atmospheric gases and therefore is ideal for awning, patio umbrellas, and other outdoor uses. The polymer's resistance to shrinkage coupled to a soft, warm feel, imparted characteristics that made it a favorite for clothing. Unlike wool garments that require dry cleaning, a variety of clothing woven with Orlon were machine washable and dryable.

Orlon (another reference says):

Orlon, trademark for an acrylic fiber available in filaments (long single strands) or staples (bundles of short fibers). Orlon is resistant to sunlight and atmospheric gases, which makes it ideal for awnings and other outdoor uses. It is also characterized by stability, resistance to shrinkage, a soft, warm feel, and good drapability. The filaments have a high tensile strength that is almost as good when wet as dry. The fibers have good elasticity and low moisture absorption. Orlon is resistant to chemicals, chiefly acids, and it has the ability to withstand high temperatures, which makes it suitable for various industrial uses. Other uses for the filament include evening wear, sports fabrics, and rainwear. The staple fiber is used in bulky suiting fabric, overcoatings and topcoatings, dress fabrics, knitted wear, and washable woven sportswear.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2011, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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Orlon (Dupont Reference):

The development of Orlon acrylic fiber stemmed from DuPont’s work on rayon. In 1941 a DuPont scientist seeking to improve rayon discovered a means of spinning acrylic polymer–which unlike nylon, decomposes rather than melts – through a solution. DuPont began developing the substance dubbed "Fiber A." Initially the material was targeted as a replacement for wool, but difficulties in spinning and dyeing soon cropped up. In 1950 the May Plant in Camden, S.C., went into production of the material renamed Orlon. ( Reference Dupont Heritage Timeline)

Fibers for War: (Reference HERE)

In 1938, the German chemist Walter Reppe developed a new class of organic solvents called “amides.” These new liquids were able to dissolve many materials, including some of the recently discovered polymers. When World War II began in 1940, both the Germans and the Allies needed to develop new materials for the war effort. Materials such as rubber and fibers were in short supply. Thus, there was increased governmental support for chemical and industrial research on both sides of the war. This support was to result in two independent solutions to the PAN problem.
In 1942, Herbert Rein, while working for I. G. Farben in Germany, discovered that PAN fibers could be produced from a solution of polyacrylonitrile dissolved in the newly synthesized solvent dimethyl-formamide. At the same time Ray C. Houtz, who was working for E. I. Du Pont de Nemours in Wilmington, Delaware, found that the related solvent dimethylacetamide would also form excellent PAN fibers. His work was patented, and some fibers were produced for use by the military during the war. In 1950, Du Pont began commercial production of a form of polyacrylonitrile fibers called Orlon. The Monsanto Company followed with a fiber called Acrilon in 1952, and other companies began to make similar products in 1958.
There are two ways to produce PAN fibers. In both methods, polyacrylonitrile is first dissolved in a suitable solvent. The solution is next forced through small holes in a device called a “spinneret.” The solution emerges from the spinneret as thin streams of a thick, gooey liquid. In the “wet spinning method,” the streams then enter another liquid (usually water or alcohol), which extracts the solvent from the solution, leaving behind the pure PAN fiber. After air drying, the fiber can be treated like any other fiber. The “dry spinning method” uses no liquid. Instead, the solvent is evaporated from the emerging streams by means of hot air, and again the PAN fiber is left behind.
In 1944, another discovery was made that is an important part of the polyacrylonitrile fiber story. W. P. Coxe of Du Pont and L. L. Winter at Union Carbide Corporation found that, when PAN fibers are heated under certain conditions, the polymer decomposes and changes into graphite (one of the elemental forms of carbon) but still
keeps its fiber form. In contrast to most forms of graphite, these fibers were exceptionally strong. These were the first carbon fibers ever made. Originally known as “black Orlon,” they were first produced commercially by the Japanese in 1964, but they were too weak to find many uses. After new methods of graphitization were developed jointly by labs in Japan, Great Britain, and the United States, the strength of the carbon fibers was increased, and the fibers began to be used in many fields.