It was in 1887 that Mr. de Chardonnet first presented his experiments to the Academy of Sciences. Since then, he has refined his process and succeeded in creating a textile from scratch that so closely resembles silk that an untrained eye could easily mistake it. Fabrics woven from this artificial silk shimmer like natural silk, boast an appealing appearance, and are often quite elegant. They would be a sensation for export. But on this point, let us yield the floor to Lyon’s manufacturers.
Mr. de Chardonnet uses raw materials such as cotton and sulfurous pulp from softwoods. This cellulose is treated with nitric acid, much like the process for making gun cotton. The resulting nitrated cellulose dissolves easily in alcohol and ether. The solution is then spun into fine threads. According to the inventor, the continuity of the thread, its transparency, play of light, and silky sheen can only be achieved by spinning a liquid solution. The solution is spun like collodion (a nitrocellulose mixture) and then partially stripped of its nitric acid. Here’s how the process works in practice: The cellulose is dissolved at a concentration of 6.5% in a mixture of 38 parts ether and 42 parts alcohol. The collodion is placed in a tin-lined copper reservoir, where an air pump maintains pressure of several atmospheres. At the base of the reservoir is a manifold
