▪ I. viscose, n.
(ˈvɪskəʊs, -z)
[f. viscous a. + -ose2.]
1. A viscid, orange or brown solution of sodium cellulose xanthate obtained by treating cellulose successively with sodium hydroxide and carbon disulphide, and used to make regenerated cellulose by extruding it into dilute acid and either spinning it into rayon or casting it as film.
| 1896 Westm. Gaz. 10 April 8/2 A..contract for sacks in this new cotton pulp, to which the name of viscose is given. 1896 C. F. Cross Brit. Pat. 4713 Cellulose..requires a very much smaller proportion of alkali to convert it into alkali-cellulose suitable for use in other manufactures such..as that of the substances now known as ‘viscose’ and ‘viscoid’. 1913 Carrier & Martin in G. Martin Industr. & Manuf. Chem.: Organic iv. i. 189 Viscose is reconverted into cellulose (1) spontaneously, on long standing; (2) by heating; (3) by treatment with oxidising agents. 1927 T. Woodhouse Artificial Silk 30 By far the greater percentage of artificial silk is made from Viscose. 1968 Kirk-Othmer Encycl. Chem. Technol. (ed. 2) XVII. 179 After filtration, the viscose is transferred to a ripening tank system.., where it is deaerated and ripened to the desired level of xanthation. 1981 Chem. Abstr. 17 Aug. 544/1 Emulsion sausages were made in the usual way. Pork and beef casings and synthetic casings (protein, viscose, and polyamide) were used. |
2. Rayon made by the viscose process.
| 1932 A. Huxley Brave New World iii. 58 Her jacket was made of bottle-green acetate cloth with green viscose fur at the cuffs and collar. 1949 W. Garner Textile Lab. Man. iii. 77 Acetate is sometimes partly saponified, especially for the printing of mixed fabrics of viscose and acetate. 1960 Guardian 28 Sept. 8/6 Lilian, helion, terital and viscose are blended with wool in textiles by the high fashion houses. 1972 Vogue June 113/3 Candy pink and white cotton and viscose shirtwaister. 1980 Gohl & Vilensky Textile Sci. ii. 32 Viscose and the other two rayon fibres have similar thermal properties to cotton. |
3. Special Combs.: viscose process, the process for making rayon with viscose as an intermediate product; viscose rayon, † silk = sense 2 above.
| 1913 Carrier & Martin in G. Martin Industr. & Manuf. Chem.: Organic iv. ix. 214 (heading) *The viscose process. 1981 Kirk-Othmer Encycl. Chem. Technol. (ed. 3) XVI. 108 Considerable research is underway to replace the viscose process and to improve rayon fiber properties. |
| 1930 Chem. Abstr. XXIV. 5153 *Viscose rayons of 120 and 150 denier were treated with Na2S solns. of various concns. 1957 Woman 16 Nov. 25/3 Viscose rayon is quite easy to do [sc. dye] at home. 1974 Sci. Amer. Apr. 57/3 The largest single use for dissolving pulp is as the raw material for the viscose-rayon process. |
| 1913 Carrier & Martin in G. Martin Industr. & Manuf. Chem.: Organic iv. ix. 214 The viscid solution is then spun into a solution of ammonium chloride which separates out the cellulose again, and gives..‘*viscose silk’. 1925 Good Housekeeping Apr. 142/3 The remaining variety [of artificial silk], Viscose silk, is now being made in enormous quantities. |
▪ II. † viscose, a. Obs.
[ad. L. viscōs-us: see viscous a.]
Viscid, viscous.
| c 1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. 33 (Addit. MS.), Synwys by kynde buþ nessche and viscose. a 1425 tr. Arderne's Treat. Fistula, etc. 78, It avoideþ soueranly ventosenez, and wonderfully putteþ out viscose fleume & putrified. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 118 The nature of a passyon of ire or fylthy pleasure of the body is so viscose & cleuynge, that harde it is for a begynner in perfeccyon to put it away whan he wolde. 1727 Bailey (vol. II), Viscose, clammy, sticky, glewy. 1775 Phil. Trans. LXV. 224 A viscose matter, like that which is seen on fish newly caught, issues from them. |