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Why was Chardonnet silk potentially dangerous to manufacture?
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Figure 1: Three common polymer structures. The linear, branched, and network architectures are represented (from top), respectively, by high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and phenol formaldehyde (PF). The chemical structure and molecular structure of highlighted regions are also shown.
The manufacture of Chardonnet silk was potentially dangerous because the process relied on the use of cellulose nitrate, a highly flammable substance.12
To create the fibre, Hilaire Bernigaud, count de Chardonnet extruded a solution of this material through fine capillaries. Because nitrocellulose is inherently combustible, Chardonnet spent several years working to reduce the flammability of the substance to make the manufacturing process safer. While he eventually succeeded in developing a method to reconvert the material back into nonflammable cellulose through chemical treatment, the initial reliance on such a volatile compound posed significant risks during the early stages of production.12