Chemical recycling of mixed textile waste

Science Advances, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 10(27)

Published: July 3, 2024

Globally, less than 0.5% of postconsumer textile waste is recycled, with the majority incinerated or ending up in landfills. Most textiles are mixed fibers, complicating mechanical recycling due to material blends and contaminants. Here, we demonstrate chemical conversion using microwave-assisted glycolysis over a ZnO catalyst followed by solvent dissolution. This approach electrifies process heat while allowing rapid depolymerization polyester spandex their monomers 15 minutes. A simple dissolution enables separation cotton nylon. We assess quality all components through extensive characterization, discuss potential for sustainable recycling, provide techno-economic analysis economic feasibility process.

Language: Английский

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Advancing Textile Waste Recycling: Challenges and Opportunities Across Polymer and Non-Polymer Fiber Types

Polymers, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 17(5), P. 628 - 628

Published: Feb. 26, 2025

The growing environmental impact of textile waste, fueled by the rapid rise in global fiber production, underscores urgent need for sustainable end-of-life solutions. This review explores cutting-edge pathways waste management, spotlighting innovations that reduce reliance on incineration and landfilling while driving material circularity. It highlights advancements collection, sorting, pretreatment technologies, as well both established emerging recycling methods. Smart collection systems utilizing tags sensors show great promise streamlining logistics automating pick-up routes transactions. For automated technologies like near-infrared hyperspectral imaging lead way accurate scalable separation. Automated disassembly techniques are effective at removing problematic elements, though other pretreatments, such color finish removal, still to be customized specific streams. Mechanical is ideal textiles with strong mechanical properties but has limitations, particularly blended fabrics, cannot repeated endlessly. Polymer recycling-through melting or dissolving polymers-produces higher-quality recycled materials comes high energy solvent demands. Chemical recycling, especially solvolysis pyrolysis, excels breaking down synthetic polymers polyester, potential yield virgin-quality monomers. Meanwhile, biological methods, their infancy, natural fibers cotton wool. When methods not viable, gasification can used convert into synthesis gas. concludes future hinges integrating sorting advancing solvent-based chemical technologies. These innovations, supported eco-design principles, progressive policies, industry collaboration, essential building a resilient, circular economy.

Language: Английский

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The Current State-of-the-Art of the Processes Involved in the Chemical Recycling of Textile Waste

Molecules, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 30(2), P. 299 - 299

Published: Jan. 13, 2025

The textile industry’s rapid growth and reliance on synthetic fibres have generated significant environmental pollution, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable waste management practices. Chemical recycling offers a promising pathway to reduce by converting used into valuable raw materials, yet technical challenges remain due complex compositions of waste, such as dyes, additives, blended fabrics.

Language: Английский

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Microplastic production, distribution, and removal from the environment: a review

Russian Chemical Reviews, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 94(3), P. RCR5155 - RCR5155

Published: March 1, 2025

The presence of microplastics (MPs) in the environment is a highly relevant and aggravating environmental problem, which concern not only for specialists various fields but also everyone who cares about future Earth. ever-increasing production polymers expanding use plastic products enlarged MP concentrations Earth's ecosystem. need to control accumulation spread MPs caused by current crisis where no microplastic-free areas have remained on number studies dealing with existing potential threat living organisms from consumption increasing every year. aim this review systematize available information occurrence briefly describe main types polymer materials acting as sources mechanisms formation transport environment. hazardous behaviour analyzed considering their impact physiology aquatic soil organisms. Special emphasis demonstrating adverse effect emissions 3D printing materials. An overview methods capture given facilitate analysis development more reliable removal disposal. As result review, we assess long-term human health consequences exposure. Understanding formation, lifecycle environment, ways interaction will controlling design implementation effective techniques remediation prevent ecological consequences. <br>The bibliography includes 244 references.

Language: Английский

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Recycling and Degradation Pathways of Synthetic Textile Fibers such as Polyamide and Elastane

Global Challenges, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 9(4)

Published: March 13, 2025

Abstract Synthetic textile production is a major contributor to global waste growth, phenomenon exacerbated by population growth and increased consumption. Global fiber expected reach 147 million tons 2030. New insights into recycling solutions are being developed. For example, progress has been made in fibers such as polyester, including polyethylene terephthalate (PET), through the use of enzymes that can break specific bonds return material its original state. However, this process must be carried out according nature polymer question. In addition, mixing different synthetic dyes make it difficult develop complete separates returns them their raw material. This review focuses on two types widely used industry, Nylon or polyamide (PA) elastane (Spandex Lycra), explores challenges opportunities associated with recycling.

Language: Английский

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Enzymatic Recovery of Glucose from Textile Waste

Processes, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 13(4), P. 1165 - 1165

Published: April 11, 2025

The enzymatic hydrolysis process is important in the field of textile waste reuse circular economy context. Currently, cellulase treatment textiles, such as bamboo mixture with spandex samples (BS), cotton jeans (CJ), linen (L), and T-shirts (CT), has been tested, which glucose production was measured at presence 6 8% NaOH solution. characteristics textiles capacity were evaluated by amount (g) obtained from each textile. following indicators also during experiment: temperature, pH, solution composition, final concentrations, turbidity, color intensity. temperature maintained 50 °C, a pH level 5–7 along contact time 48–94 min controlled. experiments demonstrated that when active, turbidity increased 86 nephelometric unit (NTU) to >1000 NTU; hydrolyzed NTU concentration approximately between 0.49 33.9 mmol/L for L, CT, CJ produce up one gram 3.330 g textile, BS produced 3.164 findings show recycled materials environmentally sustainable. Such can then be reused rather than being dumped already overloaded landfills.

Language: Английский

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Recycling of Nanocellulose from Polyester–Cotton Textile Waste for Modification of Film Composites

Polymers, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 15(15), P. 3324 - 3324

Published: Aug. 7, 2023

Textile waste has emerged as a critical global challenge, with improper disposal practices leading to adverse environmental consequences. In response this pressing issue, there is growing interest in recycling textile containing cellulose an alternative approach reducing the impact of industrial on environment. The objective research investigate extraction and characterization nanocellulose from polyester-cotton potential solution address concerns management industry. To obtain nanocellulose, comprehensive process involving alkaline sodium hydroxide (NaOH) treatment (35% PET 65% cotton) was employed, resulting average yield percentages ranging 62.14% 71.21%. achieve complete hydrolysis polyester blends, second optimized condition cotton fiber 65.06 wt%, relatively close theoretical yield. Subsequently, obtained cellulosic material underwent acid using 70 percent (v/v) sulfuric (H2SO4) at 45 °C for 90 min, nanocellulose. Centrifugation 15,000 rpm 15 min facilitated separation yielded 56.26 wt% conditions. carried out utilizing array techniques, including absorption, transmission, reflection spectra, Fourier transform infrared. results provide valuable insights into unique properties extracted waste. research, mixed PVA silver nanoparticle form biodegradable film composites reinforcement. comparison, PVA:nanocellulose 9.5:0.5 0.3 glycerol plasticizer exhibits better tensile strength (2.37 MPa) elongation (214.26%) than normal cellulose. prepared homogeneous had smooth surface without internal defect confirmed by CT scan. This result opens avenues enhancing quantities eco-friendly composites, potentially replacing conventional plastic films future.

Language: Английский

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Unleashing the Potential of Portuguese Agroforestry Biomass: Extraction, Characterization, and Valorization of Biomolecules

IntechOpen eBooks, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Jan. 3, 2025

In this chapter, we explore the vast potential of Portuguese agroforestry biomass as a sustainable source valuable biomolecules. Focusing on extraction, characterization, and valorization compounds, such polysaccharides, phenolics, essential oils from native species like carob, cork oak, aromatic plants or maritime pine, highlight their applications in food, pharmaceutical, innovative bio-based materials. Emphasis is placed eco-friendly extraction techniques functionalization methods to enhance physicochemical properties different biomolecules, thus expanding applicability commercial relevance. By highlighting unexploited diversity biomass, can pave way for an and, platform that not only drive economic growth but also preserve biodiversity, reduce waste, ensure greener more prosperous future.

Language: Английский

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Short fiber composites from postconsumer textile waste and their suitability in packaging applications

Heliyon, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 11(3), P. e42335 - e42335

Published: Jan. 29, 2025

Language: Английский

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Recycling Textiles: From Post-Consumer Polyester Garments to Materials for Injection Molding

Polymers, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 17(6), P. 748 - 748

Published: March 12, 2025

The significant waste generated by the fashion industry necessitates sustainable textile recycling strategies. Polyester, made from poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), is abundant in post-consumer textiles. Technologies have been developed to convert low-density garment into flakes, but role of color sorting achieving uniform aesthetics injection-moldable plastics remains underexplored. This study compares materials extruded dark color-sorted polyester flakes with those light-color terms processability extrusion and injection molding. properties examined include melt fluidity, molding shrinkage, mechanical thermal properties. Commercial chain extenders anhydride, oxazoline, or epoxide reactive groups were added during extrusion. Interestingly, only dark-colored pellets showed degradation, all allowed fluidity be controlled reprocessing. bisoxazoline-based additive was most promising, due highly improved ductility samples, regardless whether they light-colored. results indicate potential for industrial textiles highlight feasibility repurposing garments. approach not supports initiatives circular economy also offers a viable solution managing waste, particularly industry. Additionally, suggested route combats production microplastics.

Language: Английский

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