Synthetic fibres

These fibres are synthesised from simple compounds called monomers which are obtained from oil and coal or in some cases from natural materials. The resulting polymers are grouped according to chemical type and there are many commercial fibres in each group. Conventional polyesters, polyamides and polyolefines have reasonably low melting points and may be melt spun; acrylics are degraded on melting and a form of solution spinning must be used.

Fibre shape due to the effect of extrusion
Diablo	Coolmax	Thermastat	Tactel® HT

Although the extrusion process has a significant influence on the morphology of the fibres, many interesting variations may be produced by altering the shape of the spinnerette holes, such as hollow filaments, four channel filaments and a range of other multi-lobal shapes. Relatively recent developments have included the production of ultra-fine microfibres with filament diameters of the order of ten micrometres (10µms).