Result description
Some of the T2C project partners had been working for a number of years on a technology to produce man-made cellulosic fibers from any cellulose containing feedstock (i.e. cotton, paper, card, bamboo…) – the Ioncell process.
Integrating the separation of cotton and polyester into this process would remove one additional process step in recycling and provide important energy and cost savings. The researchers used cotton-polyester mixes as raw material and developed specific process conditions to dissolve only the cotton fraction while the polyester parts remained solid. Polyester can then be simply filtered off to be melted and processed again. The remaining cotton solution can be spun directly via the Ioncell process into new, high-quality cellulosic textile fibers.
In the Trash-2-Cash (T2C) project one objective was to utilise the zero-value waste textiles in novel, more sustainable dissolution and regeneration processes to produce man-made textile fibres, and to create high quality products from the fibres. This report gives an overview of the cold sodium hydroxide dissolution process, the cellulose carbamate process and the Ioncell-F process. Moreover, the main experimental findings of the preparation of sustainable regenerated cellulosic fibres from pre-consumer waste textiles in the project are reported.
Addressing target audiences and expressing needs
- Collaboration
- Fellowship to advance my/our research
New opportunities to use these insights in projects that relate to the advancement of the circular economy.
- Research and Technology Organisations
- Academia/ Universities
Result submitted to Horizon Results Platform by AALTO KORKEAKOULUSAATIO SR
