Aeroplane wings can be made of
cellulose acetate sheets as transparent as those of a dragon-fly and not
easy to see against the sky.
The nitrates, sulfates and acetates are the salts or esters of the
respective acids, but recently true ethers or oxides of cellulose have
been prepared that may prove still better since they contain no acid
radicle and are neutral and stable.
These are in brief the chief processes for making what is commonly but
quite improperly called "artificial silk." They are not the same
substance as silkworm silk and ought not to be--though they sometimes
are--sold as such. They are none of them as strong as the silk fiber
when wet, although if I should venture to say which of the various makes
weakens the most on wetting I should get myself into trouble. I will
only say that if you have a grudge against some fisherman give him a fly
line of artificial silk, 'most any kind.
The nitrate process was discovered by Count Hilaire de Chardonnet while
he was at the Polytechnic School of Paris, and he devoted his life and
his fortune trying to perfect it.
Pages:
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191