Making rayon

Rolls of pink-purple rayon stacked inside a cardboard box

Source: © Shutterstock

Use this demonstration to produce rayon fibres in the classroom using cotton wool or filter paper. Includes kit list and safety instructions.

In this experiment, students observe as cellulose – in the form of cotton wool or filter paper – is dissolved in a solution containing tetra-amine-copper(II) ions. This produces a viscous blue liquid, which can then be injected into sulfuric acid with a syringe to form rayon fibres.

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