Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Vinalon

Invented by Korean chemist Dr. Lee Seung-ki, Vinalon is the leading textile produced in North Korea and often labeled Juche Fiber. Its made from polyvinyl alcohol using anthracite and limestone. Although its cheap to produce Vinalon is only made in North Korea possibly because by all accounts its described as an very uncomfortable material that is difficult to dye and prone to shrinking.
However, there is a more interesting aspect to Vinalon and that is its connection to North Korea's production of chemical weapons. Many North Korean defectors have linked Dr. Lee Seung-ki to the DPRK chemical and nuclear program.
This site ( http://www.nti.org/e_research/e3_23a.html ) lays out the connections to Vinalon and weapons.
"It is noteworthy that CW agent precursors for sulfur mustard could be readily supplied by North Korea’s ample carbide production capability. For the DPRK, having large deposits of anthracite coal and limestone, therefore, means ample supply of carbide. Furthermore, by mixing carbide with water, one can release and capture acetylene gas, the latter being only two hydrogen atoms away from ethylene. Ethylene is, of course, the starting point of many commercial products, such as plastics and detergents."

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