Compare the Difference Between Similar Terms

Difference Between

Home / Science & Nature / Science / Chemistry / Polymer Chemistry / What is the Difference Between Polyester and Viscose

What is the Difference Between Polyester and Viscose

June 23, 2022 Posted by Madhu

The key difference between polyester and viscose is that polyester is a 100% synthetic fiber, whereas viscose is a semi-synthetic fiber material.

There are different types of polymer materials that have various uses in different industries. Polyester and viscose are also polymer materials useful in the textile industry.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Polyester 
3. What is Viscose
4. Polyester vs Viscose in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Polyester vs Viscose

What is Polyester?

Polyester is a type of polymeric material that is synthetic and usually made from petroleum. It is also known as polyethylene terephthalene, PET, or microfiber. This polymer is made from fossil fuels or organic sources. It has a medium heat retention ability and moderate stretchability. Moreover, polyester is prone to pilling or bubbling. This is a common fabric material that was first used in the USA. As for now, the largest exporter of polyester is China. We can use cold, warm, or hot water for its washing. The most important uses of polyester include the manufacture of shirts, pants, hoodies, dresses, jackets, underwear, socks, blankets, hats, sheets, rope, etc.

Polyester and Viscose - Side by Side Comparison

Polyester can be described as one of the world’s most used textile materials, and there are various consumer and industrial applications for this material. Primarily, this polymer contains compounds within the ester functional group. Some forms of polyester are biodegradable, but most of them are not. However, the production process and the use of polyester can contribute to pollution to a considerable degree.

Sometimes, polyester is the sole constituent of some apparel products. But most commonly, it is used as a blend with cotton or some other natural fiber. Moreover, the use of this polymeric material in the apparel industry can reduce the cost of production and decrease the comfortability of apparel. Blending with cotton can improve the shrinkage, durability, and wrinkling profile of this polymer material. Moreover, it is highly resistant to environmental conditions and is suitable for long-term applications.

What is Viscose?

Viscose is a semi-synthetic rayon fiber material made from wood pulp, and it is useful as a substituent for silk. It has a similar drape and smooth feel to the luxury material. The name viscose is derived from the solution of wood pulp that turns into the fabric. The material was first produced in 1883 as a cheap substitute for silk or as artificial silk.

The types of wood pulp that we can use to make this material include beech, pine, and eucalyptus wood pulp. However, we can produce viscose from bamboo, as well. We name this material as semi-synthetic because of the high number of chemicals that are involved in the production process. Some chemicals include sodium hydroxide and carbon disulfide.

Polyester vs Viscose in Tabular Form

There are five major steps in the viscose production process:

  • Chipping of the plant into wood pulp and dissolving in the chemicals such as sodium hydroxide to form a brown-colored wood pulp solution.
  • Then it is washed, cleaned, and bleached.
  • Thereafter, we need to treat the pulp with carbon disulfide to create the fibers, followed by dissolving the material in sodium hydroxide. This creates the solution of viscose.
  • The fourth step includes the forcing of the solution through a spinneret (a machine that creates filaments named cellulose)
  • The last step includes the spinning of this regenerated cellulose into yarn, followed by the weaving or knitting into viscose rayon fabric.

What is the Difference Between Polyester and Viscose?

Polyester and viscose are two important polymer materials having various uses in the apparel industry. The key difference between polyester and viscose is that polyester is a 100% synthetic fiber, whereas viscose is a semi-synthetic fiber material.

The following table summarizes the difference between polyester and viscose.

Summary – Polyester vs Viscose

Polyester and viscose are common materials in the textile industry. These materials have different sources of production. Therefore, the chemical and physical properties are different from each other. The key difference between polyester and viscose is that polyester is a 100% synthetic fiber, whereas viscose is a semi-synthetic fiber material.

Reference:

1. “What Is Polyester Fabric: Properties, How Its Made and Where.” Sewport.
2. “Fabric Guide: What Is Viscose? Understanding Viscose Fabric and How Viscose Is Made – 2022.” MasterClass.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Purple Polyester Fabric” By shaireproductions.com (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr
2. “Viscose scarf” (CC0) via Pxhere

Related posts:

Difference Between HDPE and PPDifference Between HDPE and PP Difference Between HDPE and MDPEDifference Between HDPE and MDPE Difference Between Ionomers and PolyelectrolytesDifference Between Ionomers and Polyelectrolytes Difference Between Elastane and SpandexDifference Between Elastane and Spandex Difference Between VMQ and FVMQDifference Between VMQ and FVMQ

Filed Under: Polymer Chemistry

About the Author: Madhu

Madhu is a graduate in Biological Sciences with BSc (Honours) Degree and currently persuing a Masters Degree in Industrial and Environmental Chemistry. With a mind rooted firmly to basic principals of chemistry and passion for ever evolving field of industrial chemistry, she is keenly interested to be a true companion for those who seek knowledge in the subject of chemistry.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Request Article

Featured Posts

Difference Between Coronavirus and Cold Symptoms

Difference Between Coronavirus and Cold Symptoms

Difference Between Coronavirus and SARS

Difference Between Coronavirus and SARS

Difference Between Coronavirus and Influenza

Difference Between Coronavirus and Influenza

Difference Between Coronavirus and Covid 19

Difference Between Coronavirus and Covid 19

You May Like

Difference Between Freight and Shipping

Difference Between Freight and Shipping

Difference Between Pseudo Force and Centrifugal Force

Difference Between Endemic and Native

Difference Between Mission and Goal

What is the Difference Between Ferritin and Hemoglobin

What is the Difference Between Ferritin and Hemoglobin

Latest Posts

  • What is the Difference Between Fullerene and Carbon Nanotubes
  • What is the Difference Between Dialysis and Kidney Transplant
  • What is the Difference Between Kidney Stones and Appendicitis
  • What is the Difference Between Humic and Non-Humic Substances
  • What is the Difference Between Biopsy and Pap Smear
  • What is the Difference Between Cosmetics and Personal Care Products
  • Home
  • Vacancies
  • About
  • Request Article
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2010-2018 Difference Between. All rights reserved. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy: Legal.