Orlon
Description
[DuPont] A registered trademark for an acrylic fiber. In 1950 Orlon became the first commercially manufactured acrylic fiber. Orlon is made from polymerized acrylonitrile. The acrylic resin is dissolved in a solvent, then extruded through spinnerets to produce long, continuous filaments. The smooth, thermoplastic fibers are resistant to wrinkles, chemicals, UV light, weathering, insects, mildew, and moisture. They produce fabrics that are lightweight, soft, durable and fast drying. They are, however, susceptible to heat and will melt or burn. Acrylic fibers are used for carpets, blankets, drapes, outdoor products and apparel such as sweaters, coats, linings, hosiery, dresses, and shirts. DuPont discontinued Orlon fibers in 1990.
Synonyms and Related Terms
acrylic fiber; DuPont Fiber A
Additional Information
Dupont: History
Comparisons
Properties of Synthetic Fibers
Additional Images
Spun Orlon Type 75 Acrylic
Infrared spectrum of Orlon acrylic fabric
Sources Checked for Data in Record
- G.S.Brady, G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971 Comment: p. 12
- Richard S. Lewis, Richard S. Lewis, Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 10th ed., 1993
- Random House, Random House, Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, Grammercy Book, New York, 1997
- The American Heritage Dictionary or Encarta, via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998
- Rosalie Rosso King, Rosalie Rosso King, Textile Identification, Conservation, and Preservation, Noyes Publications, Park Ridge, NJ, 1985
- Meredith Montague, Meredith Montague, contributed information, 1998
- Website address 1, Website address 1 Comment: www.astm.org