washing fastness is adequate, too, he adds. A wide range of colors, some with ratings as high as L7 (equal to 80 to 160 hours of exposure in a fadeometer without noticeable fading or discoloring), is available. The new dyes possess good levelness in polypropylene fibers, Allied claims. The uniform distribution of the metal in polypropylene fiber is not altered by the fibers' age or exposure to chemicals or heat. Therefore, there is little evidence of the uneven dyeing which plagues other synthetic fibers, Allied claims. And standard tests for crocking, chlorine, and ozone generally show good results, it adds.
FIBER UNDER TEST. At Hercules Powder's fiber processing lab in Covington, Va., an experimental Herculon polypropylene fiber is run through a carding machine
Polypropylene Fibers Set for Growth Allied Chemical's new dyes could bolster outlook; 200 million pound market seen by 1970 Allied Chemical's new second generation of dyes will be getting a close look from producers in the increasingly competitive polypropylene fiber business. The new dyes can be used for all types of polypropylene textiles. Together with the company's firstgeneration dyes (C&EN, June 18, page 7 8 ) , they should help boost use of the fiber from "almost nothing to more than 200 million pounds by 1970/' F. L. Sievenpiper of Allied's National Aniline Division told the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists in Atlanta, Ga. Polypropylene, being a nonpolar polymer, hasn't any dye sites. Techniques for dyeing polypropylene by modifying the fiber have been developed, but, according to Allied, the commercial dyeing of these modified fibers hasn't been completely successful. Allied says its new dyes can be used successfully with full-scale commercial equipment. Allied has been working with Hercules and other fiber manufacturers in developing its new dyes. With the new dyes, complexes are formed with traces of metal compounds added to polypropylene fiber to provide dye sites. The company's first-generation 30
C&EN
N O V . 19, 1 9 6 2
dyes used dye sites from metal that was picked up by the fiber from the catalyst used in manufacturing. But with the new dyes, metal is added (up to 0 . 1 % ) to the fiber. The metal compounds are derived from aluminum, cobalt, chromium, nickel, and titanium. Light fastness of the second-generation dyes is equal to or better than the light fastness properties exhibited by other types of synthetic fiber dyes, Mr. Sievenpiper says. Dry cleaning and
Many Producers. Major U.S. producers of staple and multifilament polypropylene yarn include Hercules Powder, Beaunit, Reeves Brothers, and G. F. Chemicals. Present U.S. capacity is about 35 million pounds, although only about 5 to 6 million pounds of fiber will be produced this year. (Montecatini, whose U.S. subsidiary, Novamont, is considering building a fiber plant at Neal, W.Va., can make 30 million pounds a year at Terni, Italy.) Some producers estimate that output will climb to 75 million pounds by 1965 and 200 million pounds by 1970. But others cut these projections by half. U.S. Rubber is experimenting with polypropylene and presently spins knitting and tufting yarns. Firestone is experimenting with polypropylene multifilament (200 denier and above) for textile uses, such as carpets and upholstery. And National Plastics says it will make polypropylene staple and multifilament yarn in 1963. Despite optimism among polypropylene fiber producers, trade observers
Four Firms Make Polypropylene Staple and Multifilament Yarn in the U.S. Company
Hercules Powder Covington, Va.
Capacity {millions of pounds)
Fiber Denier Range Staple Multifilament
3 to 15
165 to 3,360
10 to 11 (will be boosted to 17 the first quarter of 1963)
1.5 to 15 Beaunit Elizabethton, Tenn. G. F. Chemical Port Jervis, N.Y.
165 to 14,000 12 60 to 120
6 (will build 25 million pound plant for making 30 and 40 denier multifilament in 1963)
Reeves Brothers Spartanburg, S.C.
840 to 2,100
5 to 6
1.5 to 15
generally agree that polypropylene is going to have a tough row to hoe. The market is already heavily pene trated by other synthetic fibers, in cluding polyamides, acrylics, poly esters, modacrylics, and acetates. For the many available polypropylene fibers to become known and accept able to the consumer (each producer has its own trade name), millions of dollars of promotion will be required. And, according to one observer, no company is willing to spend money to promote the fiber for fear competitors will ride on its coattails. Favorable Properties. But polypro pylene fiber producers still feel the fiber has potential because of its prop erties. Its low specific gravity (0.91) potentially gives the fiber 65% more coverage per pound than cotton and 20 to 30% more coverage than most synthetic fibers. It also has high di mensional stability (low shrinkage) and resists chemicals and abrasion. Polypropylene fiber is fairly inex pensive, too, compared to other syn thetics. Staple varies from 75 to 90 cents per pound, multifilament yarn from 80 cents to $1.65. Nylon, staple and tow, on the other hand, ranges from 95 cents to $1.24 per pound, and nylon filament yarn from $1.29 to $1.71. Although most producers ex pect the price of polypropylene staple to drop, they doubt that it will go as low as 45 cents a pound, as some trade sources have indicated. Besides poor dyeability, however, polypropylene fiber has other draw backs. For example, it melts at about 330° F. and begins to soften at about 310° F. This makes ironing the fabric difficult, although producers say this can be overcome with con sumer education. The low melting point can also be tackled by blending the fiber with wool, cotton, or rayon. The resiliency of polypropylene fiber, too, isn't as good as nylons, an important factor in carpeting. And it lacks esthetic appeal to a degree be cause of its somewhat waxy look. However, most producers feel that these drawbacks will be solved and that polypropylene is going through the same stages of development that rayon and nylon did years ago. Outlets in Carpeting. Carpeting is considered a major outlet for polypro pylene fiber by some producers. Her cules, for example, makes staple and a textured polypropylene multifilament yarn called Herculon for carpeting. Ε. Τ. Barwick Mills uses Herculon in
HIGH FREQUENCY
SCREENS
NoVo's exclusive patented technique of multiple electromag netic vibrators applied to a single screen readily gives vibrat ing frequencies 25 times greater than those of conventional units. 3,000 VPS is considered normal for NoVo as compared with 120 VPS by other methods. NoVo provides easy screen ing of particle sizes heretofore regarded as difficult, or even impossible. Separations to 325 mesh are efficient. NoVo High Frequency Screens reduce or eliminate screen blinding completely and provide these outstanding features: Highest efficiences in the industry · Highest capacities per square foot of screen · Longer screen life—no abrasive action · No costly foundations—minimum installation cost Only the screen vibrates—low maintenance cost · Dustproof construction standard—explosion proof optional WRITE FOR I N F O R M A T I O N REGARDING NOVO'S FREE LABORATORY SCREENING ANALYSIS OF YOUR PRODUCT. SEE C.E.C. CATALOG, PAGE 1572, FOR NEAREST REPRESENTATIVE
A n o t h e r quality p r o d u c t f r o m
NdvO
INDUSTRIAL C O R P O R A T I O N MITCHELL SPECIALTY DIVISION
E d m u n d & S h e l m i r e S t s . , P h i l a . 3 6 , Penna.
NOV.
19,
1962
C&EN
31
a tufted carpet selling at $7.95 per square yard. And Mohasco Industries is expected to introduce a new carpet grade with 1007c surface pile of Herculon in early 1963. Montecatini's staple and filament, Meraklon, is used commercially in carpeting in Europe, and experimental work in carpeting using Meraklon is under way in the U.S. Both companies also make poly propylene fiber for upholstery, ap parel, and industrial uses. Beaunit and Reeves Brothers make polypropylene fiber mainly for indus trial uses. Beaunit says the fiber is replacing nylon in laundry nets, cord age, and filters. G. F. Chemical, how ever, is concentrating on knitted and woven goods in light-weight clothes. It is the only domestic producer of fine-denier multifilament polypropyl ene textile yarn for apparel. Many producers think the future of polypropylene fiber lies in blends. It will adapt to almost any spinning sys tem, including cotton, wool, and wor sted. According to a major producer, it is an ideal blend for cotton, because of its high coverage and resistance to chemicals and moisture. Blends of polypropylene fiber with wool and vis cose also seem likely.
YOUR MOVE!
Paint Industry Looks to Prefinishing
In this dramatic era of speed and space, research and development, one right move can reveal a host of practical new possibilities . . . particularly in the realm of organic chemistry. That move is your continuing challenge . . . ours too. Perhaps, as others have, you can meet yours with some of our organic intermediate chemicals.* Certainly their possibilities in your project bear investigation. Why not send for information on those that interest you, as well as our latest catalog?
KAY FRIES CHEMICALS, *Barbituric Diethyl nonitrile Lactate
32
C&EN
Acid
· Cyanoacef'tc
Malonate
·
· Methyl · Ethyl
NOV.
Dichloroacetic Chloroacetate
Chloroacetate
19,
196 2
INC. 360 Lexington
Acid · Cyanoacetamide Acid · Methyl · Diethyl
* Methyl and
· Methyl
and Ethyl
Dichloroacetate
Ethyl
Orthoformate
Ethoxymethylene
Malonate
Ave.,
Cyanoacetate
* Malonaldehyde
N.Y.C.
· Malonic Diacetal
Acid
·
Μαίο-
· o-Hydroxyacetophenone
·
· Sodium
Bisulfite.
Formaldehyde
Ethyl
Warranties, a single coat of paint, and more technical service will all prob ably be required of the paint industry in the wood siding market. As the lumber industry pushes to halt wood siding's decline in the residential con struction field, it will move to pre finishing and it may change to a differ ent film coating to get the life it wants, George A. Nichols of DeSoto Chemical Coatings told the National Paint, Varnish & Lacquer Association meeting at Los Angeles. Between 1950 and 1960, wood sid ing's share of residential exteriors dropped from 45 to 2 3 % , cushioned somewhat by a 70% increase in resi dential construction, according to the California Bedwood Association. Most of this loss came from increases in the use of brick veneer, masonry, and alu minum siding. Wood's big problem has been toohigh maintenance costs because of the necessity for frequent repainting. The industry is convinced that people would prefer wood if maintenance costs came down. Preassembly and
factory finishing of building components to cut back on-site labor cost and boost control of finish quality is a growing trend. To lumbermen, this means that they must prefinish. Most look to at least 10 years of maintenance-free life for painted wood, five years for clear wood. The first move in this direction was factory priming, started nearly four years ago. As yet, no wood siding with primer and finish coating is available commercially, nor is factory-finished clear siding. But they definitely will be in the future; some test houses are already up. There are other factors in the market, too. Films that can be laminated to wood are being tested. These are costly (and some technical problems still exist ), but they are emerging as a distinct threat to coatings. Two points will be critical for a paint manufacturer who plans to enter the factory-finished siding field, Mr. Nichols believes. First, he will have to spend money on pilot application and drying equipment such as that used by the lumber industry. Then the industry will have to warrant its coatings. Lumber manufacturers are now specifying factory-applied primer formulations, so they take the responsibility for performance. But formulators will almost certainly have to offer a warranty for a proprietary formulation. This warranty could be a real problem. The industry has no accelerated weathering-test method. One project on accelerated test methods is being sponsored by NPVLA at Armour Research Foundation. Manufacturers should also be working independently to develop these accelerated tests, Mr. Nichols says. For clear finishes, there is another problem. The lumber industry feels that the natural beauty of wood could lead to more use of it in exteriors, if it could be preserved and protected. Here again, field-applied coatings have performed poorly. The logical answer is again factory coating, but clear films generally fail at the wood-film interface. Current theories put this down to ultraviolet light causing degradation of the wood surface. This probably destroys adhesion. Therefore, stabilization of wood itself could be required. A research project in this area is under way at the Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, Wis. While wrestling with this immediate problem, long-range plans should be
to develop a single coat, rather than a primer plus top coat system, Mr. Nichols believes. Manufacturers should think in terms of "laminating" this single liquid coat to wood. This should be less expensive than laminating precast film. New machinery and processes to get the liquid onto the wood and cured in a minimum of time might also have to be developed.
C02 Must Go, Justice Tells General Dynamics The Justice Department wants General Dynamics to get out of the carbon dioxide business. It has asked the U.S. District Court in New York to order the company to shed its carbon dioxide division and, in Justice's words, "to cease requiring its suppliers to buy carbon dioxide and other industrial gases from General Dynamics." This is the third antitrust action brought by the Government against the major carbon dioxide producers in the past two years. In December 1960, GD, Olin Mathieson, Chemetron, and Air Reduction were charged with price fixing in a criminal suit. Justice followed this by filing civil charges against the four in late 1961. A year ago, the four were slapped with a total of $186,000 in fines on the criminal charges (C&EN, Dec. 25, 1961, page 23). GD, which along with Air Reduction had pleaded guilty to the charges, was hardest hit, receiving a $75,000 fine plus another $1500 fine levied on the former president of its Liquid Carbonics division. Justice's latest civil suit charges that GD used its purchasing power as the nation's largest defense contractor as a lever to force firms which sell to it to buy from it. According to the complaint, GD purchases over $1 billion a year of goods from suppliers. Also, it points out, GD subcontracts much of its defense business. The complaint also claims that GD's acquisition of Liquid Carbonics Corp. in 1957 tended to lessen competition and to create a monopoly in violation of the Clayton Act. It says that the company accounts for 29% of total domestic sales of carbon dioxide in addition to producing the product for its own use. GD says it has "no knowledge" of facts to support the charges made in the complaint. "We believe that General Dynamics will be successful in refuting the charges," it says.
Chapter 19 We had originally planned to let the previous
Chapter
be the last one on
Malonic Acid, but our laboratory and process development groups stole a march on us here in the last few weeks. A common complaint on the part of Malonic Acid users has been t h a t it is too expensive to use in some applications.
Consequently,
our laboratory spent some time trying to come up with a form of Malonic Acid which could be sold at lower prices.
The
present indications from t h a t work look encouraging enough t h a t we now need to ask you for your opinion.
Briefly, their main advance has been in developing a new grade of Malonic Acid which could be offered for prices in the area of $1.50/lb. assuming t h a t production runs on the order of several tons of product could
be
carried
out.
However,
the
Malonic Acid produced will not be an elegant product which could be substituted willy nilly for our regular high purity material.
We expect this technical grade of
Malonic Acid to analyze at least 9 6 % , but it will probably contain 2 - 3 % of salt as the major impurity.
Now we need your help. Do you know of any problems where a technical Malonic Acid at this price level might be just the answer?
Or is there something where it
might be close enough t h a t we should talk about it in greater detail?
If so, please
drop us a note. We want to hear from you. Since this will be the last Chapter for 1962, we want to wish you all a happy holiday season and best wishes for the next year.
Kay-Fries Chemicals, Inc. 360 Lexington Ave., New York 17, N . Y . NOV.
19,
1962
C&EN
33
