Recycling of textile wastes, by acid hydrolysis, into new cellulosic raw materials. (November 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Costa, Catarina; Viana, André; Silva, Carla; Marques, Eduardo F.; Azoia, Nuno G.
• Is Part Of: Waste management. Volume 153(2022)
• Page Start: 99
• Page End: 109
• Publication Date: 2022-11
• Subjects: Cellulose derivatives -- Textile -- Sustainability -- Recycling -- Cellulose; Hazardous wastes -- Periodicals; Refuse and refuse disposal -- Periodicals; 363.728
• DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2022.08.019
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0956-053X

Abstract

Highlights: Pre and post-consumer textile waste were converted into cellulose. Acid hydrolysis can be used to extract cellulose from complex mixtures. Textiles dyes didn't significantly interfere in the extraction process. Recycled cellulose is a suitable raw material for cellulose derivatization. Abstract: Chemical recycling can be used to separate fibers that are constituents of different types of fabrics. This type of process can be considered one of the most effective forms of recycling, given that a large part of fabrics is made up of fiber mixtures. As part of an innovative circular strategy, the main goal of this work was to study the conditions for extracting cellulose from mixed textile wastes by acid hydrolysis and further transform it into cellulose derivatives, thus contributing to reduce such wastes and expanding the possible sources of cellulose. Our work covers a wide range of textile wastes and addresses the main technical challenges of this recycling methodology. The percentage of recovered cellulose powder varies between 65 and 88%. To evaluate the feasibility of using the extracted cellulose as raw material to produce cellulose derivatives, two strategies were applied: etherification to obtain sodium carboxymethylcellulose (with degree of substituion between 0.27 and 0.61) and esterification, to obtain cellulose acetate (with degree of substituion of 2.59). The cellulose derivatives obtained are very useful as additives in the textile industry, and hence the concept and practice of a circular economy are promoted.