Sulfar fiber (1983) is a nonconductive fiber that has excellent resistance to chemical and thermal attack; it has changed industry with filter fabrics for coal boilers, papermaker felts, electrical insulation, specialty membranes, gaskets, and packings.

Sulfar fiber characteristics

• Outstanding resistance to heat
• Outstanding resistance to acids and alkalies
• Excellent resistance to mildew, aging, sunlight and abrasion
• Nondyeable
• Resistant to bleaches and solvents under normal conditions

Major Industrial Sulfar Fiber Uses

• filter fabric for coal-fired boiler bag houses
• papermaker felts
• electrical insulation
• electrolysis and other specialty membranes
• filter fabrics for liquid and gas filtration
• high-performance composites, gaskets, and packings

Production

The Federal Trade Commission definition for sulfar fiber is "A manufactured fiber in which the fiber-forming substance is a long chain synthetic polysulfide in which at least 85% of the sulfide (—S—) linkages are attached directly to two (2) aromatic rings."

The PPS (polyphenylene sulfide) polymer is formed by reaction of sulfur with dichlorobenzene and then extruded by melt spinning to produce both staple and filament fibers.

First U.S. Commercial Sulfar Fiber Production: 1983, Phillips Fibers Corporation, A Subsidiary of Phillips 66 Company

Current U.S. Sulfar Fiber Producers: (Sulfar is not produced in the United States. The only producer is Toray Industries, Inc. Japan)

See also

• Synthetic fibers
• Textile