Chinese Scientists Succeeded In Extracting Fibers From Seaweed And Weaving Them Into Cloth.

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After 4 years of repeated experiments, Xia Yanzhi, deputy director of the National Key Laboratory of fiber new materials and modern textile, Qiingdao University, led the R & D personnel to successfully extract alginate from seaweed by using water as solvent and using special equipment to produce seaweed fibers with high strength and good properties, and successfully spun them into cloth.

Xia Yanzhi said that so far, researchers have been able to extract fibers from various algae, including brown algae, agaric algae, carrageenan, and even many Enteromorpha prolifera that have been piled up in the coastal waters of Bohai and Yellow Sea.

In the laboratory where the base was built, the reporter saw a variety of colors.

According to Kong Qingshan estimates, according to the existing production technology, a ton of dried kelp can extract 200 kg to 250 kg of alginate, forming 200 kg of fiber, and every 100 grams of seaweed fiber can weave one square meter cloth.

According to this calculation, the cost of seaweed fiber is initially estimated at 50 thousand -7 yuan per ton.

Kong Qingshan said that if alginate fibers were blended with cotton, they could also make more cloth and cost less, and the strength of the fabric made from seaweed fiber was stronger than that of cotton.

"Nowadays, the limitations of land and synthetic fibers in environmental protection are becoming more and more prominent. I feel very necessary to find a new and renewable environment-friendly fiber material."

Talking about the original intention of developing seaweed fiber, Cheyenne says so.

At present, China consumes about 60 million tons of fiber every year. The main way of production is cotton, hemp, wool, silk and other natural plant fibers and their regenerated fibers, and synthetic fibers from oil. However, with the development of economy and population growth, the acquisition of fibers is increasingly restricted by the shortage of land and petroleum resources.

At the same time, biomass chemical fiber is booming in China.

In 2009, China's biomass regenerated fiber production capacity reached 1 million 910 thousand tons, accounting for 77% of the world's total capacity.

"China is the largest seaweed cultivation and processing country in the world. Alginate production accounts for more than half of the world's total. It is very conducive to the acquisition and large-scale development of seaweed fiber raw materials.

At the same time, the production of algal fiber raw materials does not occupy oil and land resources.

Xia Yanzhi said.

Because of its inherent flame retardancy and algal fiber contains large amounts of metal ions, seaweed fibers can effectively shield electromagnetic waves and play an anti radiation role.

Xia Yanzhi said that these characteristics of seaweed fiber plus good textile processing properties make it not only be made into ordinary clothes, but also can be used for making special clothing such as fire-fighting clothing, protective clothing and medical clothing.

At present, this research and development technology has been supported by the national "863", the national development and Reform Commission textile special project, the National Natural Science Foundation and the major achievements pformation project of Shandong province. More than ten invention patents have been applied, and 3 have been authorized.

It is reported that in order to promote the application of alginate fiber technology, home textile enterprise Qingdao Xi Ying men group has invested in the construction of large production lines. At present, the construction of the production workshop is nearly completed, and it is estimated that 2011 can achieve large-scale industrial production.