Acetate fiber: another noble member of the chemical fiber family
Acetate fiber includes fiber tows, filaments and short fibers. With the continuous updating of varieties and production technologies, acetate fiber has become a unique and characteristic high value-added fiber in the chemical fiber family. It is the second largest variety of cellulose fiber after viscose fiber.
The current total output of acetate fiber is 810,000 tons, including 620,000 tons of tobacco tow and 190,000 tons of textile filament. The main manufacturers are Celanese Corporation of the United States, Eastman Korda Company of the United States, Courtautz Company of the United Kingdom, Novasit of Italy, Mitsubishi Corporation of Japan, Daicel of Japan and other companies. Today, acetate fiber technology is monopolized by several large foreign companies. In addition to tobacco tow and medical staple fiber, there are more than a dozen varieties of acetate fiber filament for textile use alone, and new varieties are constantly developed to adapt to the popular fabric market. needs. In 2005, the price of tobacco tow in the international market was about US$3,920/ton, that of textile acetate filament 75D was about US$5,400/ton, that of 100D was about US$5,200/ton, and that of 150D was about US$4,900/ton.
my country’s annual production capacity of acetate fiber tow for cigarettes is 150,000 tons, and the shortfall of 60,000 tons needs to be solved by imports. The production of acetate filament for textiles has always been a blank in the past, and it has to rely entirely on imports.
Acetate filament comparable to natural fibers
Acetate filament is a fiber variety with high technical content and high added value. It has a history of nearly a hundred years and has always been the fiber material used to weave high-end and luxurious clothing. Acetate filament has the basic characteristics of natural fiber, and is obviously different from cellulose fiber and similar to synthetic fiber. This characteristic is not possessed by other fibers. This is the basis for the independent survival and development of acetate filament. reason. Acetate fiber is similar to natural silk, with soft fiber luster, bright color, good drape and hand feel, and has anti-mold and moth-proof properties. With the rapid development of textile processing technology, composite fabrics of acetate filament interwoven with nylon, polyester filament, and PTT filament have clear fabrics, light texture, good feel and breathability, and have been used as high-end clothing fabrics by well-known fashion design masters. favored.
In Italy, where the garment industry is developed, the application of acetate filament in clothing fabrics has reached 31.1%, and decorative textiles account for 27%, almost forming a three-thirds of the world with traditional clothing linings. Since the 1990s, as Chinese people’s clothing standards have become more upscale, acetate filaments and fabrics have poured into our country. It is widely used in high-end clothing fabrics, linings, dresses, scarves, ties, pajamas, etc. Acetate filament and its composite silk fabrics are very popular in the clothing industry.
Singing the new environmentally friendly fiber in the 21st century
Acetate fiber filament is a blank in my country and it mainly relies on imports. In 2002, China imported 4.647 billion meters of acetate filament suit lining cloth and various fabrics, consuming nearly US$6.345 billion. If it can replace one-tenth of the imported volume, 30,000 to 40,000 tons of domestically produced acetate filament will be needed every year. This is a realistic and very conservative estimate. The domestic acetate filament market is much larger than this estimated figure.
The main reason that restricts the development of acetate fiber filament in my country is the equipment monopoly and technology blockade of large foreign companies. In recent years, there have been companies that can transfer equipment and technology to China, but the asking price is too high. For an annual production of 5,000 tons of acetate fiber filament, the fee for the proprietary technology alone is US$10 million, and the equipment is US$45 million. In addition to domestic supporting facilities, construction investment It will reach 500 million yuan, and the investment recovery period is long. The construction investment of a viscose filament factory with an annual output of 5,000 tons requires more than 300 million yuan, so many manufacturers are turning to the construction of viscose filament factories.
Although acetate fiber and viscose fiber are both cellulose series products, they are also fiber products favored by consumers. However, due to many reasons such as the water consumption per ton of viscose filament production is 20 times that of acetate fiber, the electricity consumption per ton is three times that of acetate fiber, and serious environmental pollution, the United States, Japan and Western European countries have successively stopped and closed viscose fiber factories. , but still retains the production capabilities of acetate fiber and cupro fiber. my country is a major viscose fiber producer with very serious ecological environment pollution. Therefore, the development of acetate fiber filament is of great significance for environmental protection and clean production. It is an objective requirement for the development of textile economy in the 21st century.
Scientific research results with independent intellectual property rights
Undertaken by Dongguan Xinlun Fiber Materials and Shenzhen Zhongsheng Fiber Engineering Technology Co., Ltd., Dangyang Xinyang Chemical Fiber Co., Ltd. participated in the China Textile Industry Association’s science and technology guidance project “Research and Development and Industrialization of Acetate Fiber and Production Lines” , is a scientific research achievement with independent intellectual property rights. Xinlun Company has been committed to the research of production technology of acetate fiber filaments and tows since the 1990s. Its industrial control is stable and its product quality can fully meet the requirements of processing and weaving. It can also develop according to different product varieties and cooperate with foreign countries. The level is comparable. The investment in building an annual production capacity of 5,000 tons of acetate fiber filament is approximately RMB 170 million.
The success of the “R&D and Industrialization of Acetate Fiber and Production Lines” project not only fills the gap in fiber varieties in my country’s chemical fiber industry, but also provides conditions for the garment industry to develop high-end fabrics, which is important for improving the export competitiveness of my country’s textile and garment industry. has particularly practical significance.
my country’s clothing output reaches 22.8 billion pieces per year, exports of clothing are 12.5 billion pieces, and the self-sufficiency rate of exported clothing fabrics is only 45.81%. countryAmong chemical fiber blended or interwoven clothing fabrics, the self-sufficiency rate of chemical fiber is only 42.56%. High-end clothing linings are all made of acetate filament fabrics, which in the past were all imported. The industrialized research and development of acetate fiber provides new fiber materials for the textile industry to develop new products, which can greatly increase the added value of textiles and clothing.
The development of acetate filament will also promote and drive the development of related industries (such as chemical products) and the improvement of technical levels.
Market demand with urgent development potential
my country is the largest cigarette producer in the world, and its output has surpassed that of the United States. The acetate fiber tow used in cigarette filters has shown a continuous growth trend, and the market demand is particularly strong. According to the tobacco company’s production plan, 37.5 million boxes are produced annually, and more than 240,000 tons of tobacco tow are needed annually, including 210,000 tons of acetate fiber and 30,000 tons of propylene fiber tow. There are currently 4 factories producing acetate cigarette tow in my country. Nantong Acetate Fiber Co., Ltd., Zhuhai Acetate Fiber Co., Ltd., and Kunming Acetate Fiber Co., Ltd. are all produced by technical joint ventures of Celanese Corporation of the United States. Xi’an Hui’an Chemical Plant is produced by Daicel of Japan. The company’s technology is used to produce, with a total production capacity of 150,000 tons per year, and the shortage of 60,000 tons per year needs to be solved by imports.
At present, the demand for acetate fiber filament in my country is conservatively estimated to be 30,000 tons per year. If it can be promoted and applied, a production capacity of 100,000 tons will be formed within five years, which can not only supply the domestic market, but also export to meet the international market. need. Our country imports about 20,000 tons every year from trading companies and processing companies. Since 2002, the annual import of acetate filament fabrics and fabrics in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces alone has consumed nearly US$1 billion in foreign exchange.
Acetate staple fiber also has great market potential. It can be made into non-woven fabrics through spunlace for surgical dressings without adhesion to wounds. It is especially suitable for dressings and patient clothing for burns and skin contact. It is an advanced medical treatment sanitary materials. Can be made into wiping cloths and special papers. Acetate staple fiber can also be blended with other fibers to improve the quality of the original product and make up for the shortcomings of certain fiber properties, so that the resulting product performance can be optimized in all aspects. Acetate staple fiber is mainly blended with wool, cotton, viscose or synthetic fibers to make various fabrics with excellent properties.
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