The Development History Of Polyester Fiber

  Polyester fiber, abbreviated as PET fiber, is a synthetic fiber composed of various segments in macromolecular chains connected by ester groups. China refers to fibers with a polyethylene terephthalate content greater than 85% as polyester, and there are many product names abroad, such as Dacron from the United States, Tetoron from Japan, Terlenka from the United Kingdom, and Lavsan from the former Soviet Union. The history of polyester fibers can be traced back to 1894, when Vorlander used succinyl chloride and ethylene glycol to produce low molecular weight polyester. In the following decades, different types of polyesters were synthesized, but early polyesters were not suitable for textile use due to their low molecular weight and low melting point, making them easily soluble in water. Until 1941, Whitfield and Dickson in the UK synthesized polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a polymer with excellent fiber properties obtained through melt spinning. In 1953, the United States was the first to establish factories to produce PET fibers, making PET fibers a relatively late developed variety in synthetic fibers. With the advancement of organic synthesis, polymer science, and industry, we have developed various practical PET fibers with different characteristics in recent years. For example, PBT fibers and PTT fibers have high elasticity and elasticity, while all aromatic polyester fibers have ultra-high strength and high modulus. The commonly referred to "polyester fiber" usually refers to polyethylene terephthalate fiber. Polyester fiber has many advantages, such as high fracture strength and elastic modulus, moderate rebound, excellent heat setting effect, and good heat and light resistance. Its melting point is about 255 ℃, and its glass transition temperature is about 70 ℃. Its shape is stable under a wide range of usage conditions, and the fabric has the characteristics of being washable and durable. In addition, polyester fibers also have excellent properties such as resistance to organic solvents, soap, detergents, bleaches, antioxidants, etc., as well as good corrosion resistance and stability to weak acids and bases. Therefore, it has a wide range of applications in the manufacturing of home textiles and industrial protective clothing. With the rapid development of the petroleum industry, the raw materials for producing polyester fibers have become more abundant and affordable. With the advancement of technologies such as chemical, mechanical, and electronic automation, the production process of polyester fibers has become more efficient. Therefore, polyester fiber has become the fastest developing and highest yielding variety in synthetic fibers. As of 2010, the global production of polyester fibers reached 37.3 million tons, accounting for 74% of the world's total synthetic fibers.