It is made by the addition of hydrocyanic acid to acetylene,by using propylene as the starter and reacting with ammonia, or from petroleum. Acrylonitrile fiber, originally developed in Germany as a textile staple fiber and as a monofilament for screens and weaving, and known as Redon, has good dimensional stability and high dielectric strength, and is resistant to water and to solvents. The polymerized acrylonitrile has a molecular structure that can be oriented by drawing to give Fibers of high strength. Orlon, of Du Pont, is a polymerized acrylonitrile fiber. It is nearly as strong as nylon, and has a softer feel. It can be crimped to facilitate spinning with wool. It is used for clothing textiles and for filter fabrics. Dynel, of Union Carbide Corp., is an acrylonitrile-vinyl chloride copolymer staple fiber. It produces textiles
with a warmth and feel like those of wool. It has good strength, is resilient dyes easily, and is mothproof. Verel, of the Eastman Chemical Products Inc. is a similar acrylic fiber produced from acrylonitrile and vinylidene chloride, and Creslan, of the American Cyanamid Co., called Exlan in japan, is an acrylic fiber. Acrilan, of the Chemstrand Corp., is a similar textile fiber, and is an acrylonitrile-vinyl acetate copolymer. Bakelite  is an acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer for injection molding and extruding that produces rigid thermoplastic parts of higher tensile strength than those of the methacrylates, and has good dimensional stability and scratch resistance. Saran F-120, of the Dow Chemical Co., is a similar material.

Zefran, of the Dow Chemical Co., is an acrylonitrile polymerized with vinyl pyrrolidone or other dye-receptive monomer. The fiber has a molecular structure called a nitrile alloy, with a continuous polyacrylonitrile backbond with close-packed hydrophilic groups which hold the dye molecules. It resists heat to 490°F (254°C). Fostacryl, of the Foster Grant Co.Inc., is a crystal-clear styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer used for moldingsuch articles as dinnerware and food containers. Acrylonitrile- styrenecopolymers are also combined with alkyl-substituted phenolic resins to produce hard, glossy, flexible coatings. Itaconic acid, or methylene succinic acid, CH₂:CCH(COOH)₂, is also polymerized with acrylonitrile to produce fibers. When this acid is polymerized with styrene it produces transparent plastics of good optical properties. For jet aircraft tires an extremely wear-resistant rubber is made of acrylonitrile-butadiene with
an organometalic catalyst that has alternating groups in the copolymer. Acrylonitrile reacts with cellulose to form a wide range of resins from soluble ethers useful for textile finishes to tough, resistant materials useful A for fibers. It can be reacted directly with cotton to improve the fiber. Krilium, of the Monsanto Co., and Agrilon, of the Borden Chemical Co., are sodium salts of acrylonitrile used as soil conditioners. They are more efficient than peat moss.