A Comparison of the Chemical Structures and Production Methods of Silk

A Comparison of the Chemical Structures and Production Methods of Silk and Artificial SilkAbstractDespite their seemingly quasi(prenominal) exteriors, the chemical structures and production methodsof natural silk and the artificial silks rayon and nylon are quite different. Silk yarn, extractedfrom the cocoon of the Bombyx mori moth, is made up of fibroin molecules with beta-pleatedsheet secondary structures. The fibroin molecules consist of crystalline fibers constructed of regularly paralleled, unfolded polypeptide chains of polyglycylalanine mixed with an amorphouspart. Although viscose rayon was originally called artificial silk, it is not a truly syntheticfiber, as it is made from wood pulp, a naturally-occurring, cellulose-based material. Nylon,however, is a synthetic fiber. It is a polyamide whose molecular chains are formed by regularlyspaced CONH amide groups. Nylon 6-6, or poly(hexamethylneadipamide), is composed oftwo structural monomers (hexamethylendiamine (H2N(CH2)6NH2 ) and adipic back breaker(HOOC(CH2)4COOH), whereas Nylon 6, or poly(6-caprolactam), is composed of a singlestructural unit (either 6-aminocaproic acid (H2N(CH2)4COOH) or caprolactam). Ultimately, thedifferent chemistries and production methods of these fibers give them certain advantages (suchas viscoses ability to combine with other fibers to create new fabrics easily) and disadvantages(such as nylons quickly weakening fibers or natural silks difficulty of production) over aneanother that make them more or less suitable for certain purposes. For this reason, whenconsidering silk and artificial silk, it is illogical to pick one fiber that is superior to the others andto focus on the production of that specific fiber.A Compa... ...io State University Extension FactSheet Textiles and Clothing. Retrieved July 25, 2008, from http//ohioline.osu.edu/hygfact/5000/5538.htmlSwicofil AG Textile Services. (n.d.). Viscose Rayon. Swicofil. Retrieved July 25, 2008, fromhttp//www.swicofil.com/v iscose.htmlcTrossarelli, L. (2003). The History of Nylon. Commissione Centrale Materiali e Tecniche.Retrieved July 25, 2008, fromhttp//www.caimateriali.org/Eventi/Torino/historynylon.htmlThe Viscose Company. (1937). The Story of Rayon (3rd ed.). bran-new York Sales Office 200Madison Avenue The Viscose Company.Wikipedia. (July 24, 2008). Silk. Retrieved July 28, 2008, from http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SilkWikipedia. (July 28, 2008) Viscose. Retrieved July 26, 2008, fromhttp//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ViscoseWoodhouse, T. F. (1929). Artificial Silk or Rayon (2nd ed.). Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons, Ltd.