Unit - Chemistry of Fibres, Textiles and Garments
2016/2017 8 Lectures
Introduction
And I have often thought, that probably there might be a way
found out, to make an artificial glutinous composition, much
resembling, if not full as good, nay better, then that Excrement,
or whatever other substance it be out of which, the Silk-worm
wire-draws his clew. If such a composition were found, it were
certainly an earie matter to find very quick ways of drawing it
out into small wires for use. I need not mention the use of such
an Invention, nor the benefit that is likely to accrue to the
finder, they being sufficiently obvious. This hint therefore,
may, I hope, give some Ingenious inquisitive Person an occasion
of making some trials, which if successfull, I have my aim, and I
suppose he will have no occasion to be displeased. Robert Hooke (1665), "Micrographia, or, Some
physiological descriptions of minute bodies made by magnifying
glasses, with observations and inquiries thereupon".
It took several hundred years following this suggestion from
Hooke before an "artificial silk" (synthetic fibres) became available.
Prior to that, all textiles were created from natural fibres.
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