Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

acetate

(Encyclopedia)acetate ăsˈĭtātˌ [key], one of the most important forms of artificial cellulose-based fibers; the ester of acetic acid. The first patents for the production of fibers from cellulose acetate appea...

Tomaszów Mazowiecki

(Encyclopedia)Tomaszów Mazowiecki tômäˈsho͞of mäzôvyĕtsˈkē [key], city (1992 est. pop. 70,000), E central Poland. It is a railroad junction and has industries manufacturing synthetic textiles and fibers, ...

petrochemical

(Encyclopedia)petrochemical, any one of a large group of chemicals derived from a component of petroleum or natural gas. The cracking processes for manufacturing gasoline produce vast quantities of gaseous hydrocar...

Ballymena

(Encyclopedia)Ballymena bălēmēˈnə [key], town and district, NE Northern Ireland, on the Braid River. Linen, ...

Angarsk

(Encyclopedia)Angarsk əngərskˈ [key], city (1989 pop. 266,000), S Siberian Russia, on the Angara river and the Trans-Siberian RR. A major petrochemical center, its manufactures include fertilizers, synthetic fib...

Swan, Sir Joseph Wilson

(Encyclopedia)Swan, Sir Joseph Wilson, 1828–1914, English chemist and physicist. He made an incandescent lamp using a carbon filament (1860), 20 years before Edison's lamp. Noted for important contributions to ph...

waterproof and water-repellent fabrics

(Encyclopedia)waterproof and water-repellent fabrics, materials treated with various substances so as to make them impervious to water. Permanent waterproofing is achieved by first coating fabrics with rubber or pl...

fuchsin

(Encyclopedia)fuchsin məjĕnˈtə [key], bright red dyestuff consisting of the mixed hydrochlorides or acetates of rosaniline and pararosaniline. It is composed of small crystals possessing a brilliant green sheen...

Hofu

(Encyclopedia)Hofu hōˈfo͞o [key], city, Yamaguchi prefecture, SW Honshu, Japan, on the Suo Sea. It is a ...

corduroy

(Encyclopedia)corduroy, a cut filling-pile fabric with lengthwise ridges, or wales, that may vary from fine (pinwale) to wide. Extra filling yarns float over a number of warp yarns that form either a plain-weave or...

Browse by Subject