Acrylic fibre (PAN)
1.5-4 usd/kgAcrylic fibre is prized for its soft, wool-like properties. It is textured and spun into bulky yarns that are used to make sweaters, knits and faux fur. It is is a synthetic material produced from polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and known as acrylic when the polymer contains more than 85% acrylonitrile. Below that and it is known as modacrylic.
Acrylic is used to make garments, upholstery and interior textiles. It is inherently resistant to UV, moisture, mould and mildew and so suitable for use outside, such as awnings, umbrellas, outdoor furniture, convertible car roofs and yacht upholstery. Modacrylic is copolymerised with chlorine-based units (such as vinyl chloride) to produce flame retardant fibres for application such as bay clothes, industrial fabrics and contract interior textiles.
Acrylonitrile is an important industrial chemical, but it is polluting and poisonous – it is an extremely hazardous material to work with. The spinning process for acrylic uses solvents, which are expensive to recover. On top of this, durable exterior fabrics made of acrylic are often chemically treated to enhance water and oil-repellency, UV resistance and fire resistance. This reduces end of life options, because to be recycled, these chemicals first need to be separated. And some of these chemicals are hazardous, including fluorocarbons, melamine, acrylic resin and anti-mould agents.
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Acrylic is soft and relatively less expensive than natural fibres such as wool and cotton. As such, it is often blended with them, or used in place of them, to take advantage of its lower price point in garments and accessories. In addition to fashion and textiles, it provides the precursor for carbon fibre. Following controlled oxidisation and cooking at 1,000-2,000 degC, the polyacrylonitrile (PAN) polymer converts into a highly oriented carbon filament with tensile strengths in excess of 4 GPa, 10x greater than acrylic.
Acrylic fibre has very good moisture wicking properties, something that is utilised in activewear and sports garments. However, it is not particularly strong, and loses around 15% of its strength when wet. It has excellent resistance to UV and fading in sunlight, superior to all other common synthetic fibres. It is used in textiles that will be exposed to the elements, including upholstery, covers, awnings, tents and canopies.
Examples of trade names include Orlon (the first commercial acrylic fibre), Acrylian, Creslan and Zefran.