LYOCELL

Lyocell is a regenerated cellulose fiber made from dissolving pulp (bleached wood pulp). It was developed and first manufactured as Tencel in the 1980's by Courtaulds Fibers UK at their pilot plant S25. As of 2010 it is manufactured by Lansing AG of Lansing, Austria, under the brand name "Lyocell by Lansing", and under the brand name Tencel by the Tencel group, now owned by Lansing AG.[2] Contents

1 Major properties 2 The manufacturing process 3 Fabric and garments from Lyocell fiber 4 Uses 5 Producers 6 See also 7 External links 8 References

Major properties
Lyocell first went on public sale as a type of rayon in 1991. It shares many properties with other cellulosic fibers such as cotton, linen, ramie and rayon. Some main characteristics of Lyocell fibers are that they are soft, absorbent, very strong when wet or dry, and resistant to wrinkles; Lyocell fabric can be machine- or hand-washed or dry-cleaned, it drapes well, and it can be dyed many colors, and can simulate a variety of textures such as suede, leather, and silk.[4]

The manufacturing process

Hardwood logs are chipped into squares about the size of postage stamps. The chips are digested chemically, to remove the lignin and to soften them enough to be mechanically milled to a wet pulp. This pulp may be bleached. Then it is dried into a continuous sheet and rolled onto spools. At this stage, it has the consistency of thick poster board paper. The roll of cellulose weighs some 500 lb (227 kg). The waste liquor may be reworked to produce tall oil, used to make alkyd resins. At the Lyocell mill, rolls of pulp are broken into one-inch squares and dissolved in N-methylmorpholine N-oxide, giving a solution called "dope." The filtered cellulose solution is then pumped through spinnerets, devices used with a variety of manmade fibers. The spinneret is pierced with small holes rather like a showerhead; when the solution is forced through it; long strands of fiber come out. The fibers are then immersed in another solution of amine oxide, diluted this time, which sets the fiber strands. Then they are washed with de-mineralized water. The Lyocell fiber next passes to a drying area, where the water is evaporated from it. The strands then pass to a finishing area, where a lubricant, which may be soap or silicone or other agent depending on the future use of the fiber, is applied. This step is basically a detangle, prior to carding and spinning into yarn. The dried, finished fibers are at this stage in a form called tow, a large untwisted bundle of continuous lengths of filament. The bundles of tow are taken to a crimper, a machine that compresses the fiber, giving it texture and bulk. The crimped fiber is carded by mechanical carders, which perform an action like combing, to separate and order the strands. The carded strands are cut and baled for shipment to a fabric mill. The entire manufacturing process, from unrolling the raw cellulose to baling the fiber, takes about two hours. After this, the Lyocell may be processed in many ways. It may be spun with another fiber, such as cotton or wool. The resulting yarn can be woven or knitted like any other fabric, and may be given a variety of finishes, from soft and suede-like to silky.[5]

The amine oxide used to dissolve the cellulose and set the fiber after spinning is recycled. 98% of the amine oxide is typically recovered. Since there is little waste product, this process is relatively ecofriendly. However, it uses a substantial amount of energy, and uses an organic solvent of petrochemical origin.

Fabric and garments from Lyocell fiber

After the fiber is created it is provided to manufacturers for weaving into fabric, then the fabric is used to create garments. Manufacturers may use environmentally unfriendly or chemical treatments to overcome the natural reluctance of the fiber to take dye and to overcome its natural pilling tendency. Although the closed-loop manufacturing process makes Lyocell inherently the most eco-friendly of the naturally regenerating fibers, different fabric and garment manufacturers vary in this respect.[6]

Uses
As of 2010 Lyocell is more expensive to produce than cotton or rayon. It is used in many everyday fabrics. Staple fibers are used in clothes such as denim, chino, underwear, casual wear, and towels. Filament fibers are used in items that have a silkier appearance such as womens clothing and mens dress shirts. Lyocell can be blended with a variety of other fibers such as silk, cotton, rayon, polyester, linen, nylon, and wool. Lyocell is also used in conveyor belts, specialty papers and medical dressings. (Textiles, Kadolph & Langford). Tencel is also used for making some brands of baby diaper wipes.

Producers
Lyocell is manufactured by Lansing in Mobile, Alabama, USA, in Grimsby, England, and in Heiligenkreuz, Burgenland, Austria. Production of Lyocell involves chemically dissolving cellulose then filtering and wet-spinning the resulting dope into fibers. However, dissolving the cellulose at a fast enough rate to make it commercially profitable requires the cellulose dope to be in a highly viscous and concentrated state. Once the viscous mass reaches the spinnerets, it is difficult to force through the spinneret nozzles. A multi-stage solution known as the[7] MasterConti process was developed. This process separates the highly viscous dissolution phase from the downstream phases that require a less viscous state in order to be most productive. The MasterConti process provides a continuous masterbatch process, to overcome these limitations by separating the dissolution process from the downstream processes. The MasterConti process features a robust kneader reactor, able to easily handle the highly viscous cellulose dope. The dope then enters a mixer-diluter that reduces the viscosity to a consistency that is optimal for spinning. By keeping the two processes separate, the MasterConti process enables manufacturers to maintain the best environment for each phase. As a result, producers are able to:

improve product quality achieve higher shear for better homogenization realize greater process intensification with multi-step processing

Lyocell Fiber Characteristics

Soft, strong, absorbent Fibrillated during wet processing to produce special textures Excellent wet strength Wrinkle resistant Very versatile fabric dyable to vibrant colors, with a variety of effects and textures. Can be hand washable Simulates silk, suede, or leather touch

Good drapability Biodegradable

Production of Lyocell:

Raw Materials
The main ingredient of Lyocell is cellulose, a natural polymer found in the cells of all plants. It forms the basis for other plant-derived fibers such as cotton, hemp, and linen. The cellulose for Lyocell manufacturing is derived from the pulp of hardwood trees. The pulp is typically from a mix of trees chosen for their cellulosic properties such as the color and amount of contaminants. Some common tree species used are oak and birch. The trees are grown on managed tree farms, generally on land that is not suitable for other agricultural uses. The solvent used in the manufacturing process is an amine oxide. Water is another key ingredient in producing Lyocell fiber. A finishing agent is also used, and this varies, but is generally a lubricant such as soap or silicone. Lyocell fabrics are generally dyed

The main ingredient of Lyocell is cellulose, a natural polymer found in the cells of all plants. The cellulose for Lyocell manufacturing is derived from the pulp of hardwood trees. During the manufacturing process, the hardwood is broken down into chips and then fed into a vat of chemical digesters, which soften them into a wet pulp. The pulp is washed, bleached, and dried in a huge sheet that is rolled onto a giant spool. With any dyes that are also compatible with cotton and rayon. A new generation of cellulosic appeared in the market in December 1992 when a commercial plant in the USA started to make a Lyocell staple fiber, based largely on European man-made fiber industry research. Subsequently, two European production plants have opened.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Lyocell

One of the great selling points of Lyocell is the environmentally friendly nature of the manufacturing process. The raw material is low-grade recycled paper. The solvent is almost completely recycled, with almost no losses to the environment. This has as much to do with the fact that it is highly toxic and costs about 15,000 per ton, as it has to do with any environmental altruism on the part of the manufacturers. It is very strong when wet - stronger than cotton. It also doesn't stretch or shrink when wetted or dried, unlike cotton or viscose. The main disadvantage of Lyocell fiber is its relatively low surface energy, which makes it difficult for dyes to bind to it. This is not to say it is impossible to dye - but the dyes required are more expensive. This tends to make the finished product more expensive. It also has a tendency to fibrillate during processing and wearing. Fibrillation is what causes the effect known as 'pilling', where small balls of fiber form on the surface. However, this is a relatively small price to pay for the unusual properties of this fiber.

Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyocell http://www.fibersource.com/f-tutor/lyocell.htm http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-lyocell.htm http://www.cirfs.org/manmadefibres/fibrerange/Lyocell.aspx http://www.madehow.com/Volume-5/Lyocell.html#b http://www.eftfibers.com/prod_lyocell.php http://www.sda-uk.org/materials/textiles/lyocell.htm http://www.uniformreuse.co.uk/fabric_lyocell.html?.. http://www.textileworld.com/Articles/2000/June/Features/Testing_Lyocell_Fiber_Properites.html http://benefitof.net/benefits-of-lyocell/ http://www.h2g2.com/approved_entry/A654987 http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_advantages_and_disadvantages_of_lyocell

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