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Potential application of medical cotton waste for self-reinforced composite
Ravindra D Kale1, Vikrant G Gorade1
1Department of Fibers and Textile Processing Technology, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai 400019, India.
Abstract:
The present work mainly deals with the efficacy of the waste medical grade cotton (MGC) used for the sustainable self-reinforced composite (SRC). MGC waste was exposed in the autoclave for destroying all microorganisms including infected bacteria's and virus followed by scoured and bleached for removing blood stains and foreign materials. SRC film was prepared by selective dissolved fibre surface of waste MGC into a dissolved microcrystalline cellulose (DMCC) matrix solution prepared by lithium chloride/N,N-dimethylacetamide (LiCl/DMAc) solvent system. The tensile strength of SRC films was significantly improved up to 252 MPa, and it was higher than that of the DMCC film. In the FTIR study, no peak was found in 1620 cm-1 in SRC confirming that the LiCl/DMAc has been completely removed. SEM study also revealed the presence of partial dissolution of the surface of MGC which merged with DMCC matrix in the SRC. The XRD results displayed higher crystallinity SRC than DMCC film. The thermal stability of SRC as determined by TGA improved compared to the DMCC film from 225 °C for DMCC to 250-283 °C for SRC films. Therefore, these prominent results revealed the potential utilization of a sustainable resource, waste MGC in producing environmentally friendly SRC films with high-performance properties.
Insights
Waste medical grade cotton (MGC) can be repurposed into high-performance, eco-friendly self-reinforced composites (SRC). This sustainable material demonstrates enhanced tensile strength and thermal stability compared to traditional composites.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Biomaterials Engineering
- Sustainable Chemistry
Background:
- Medical waste, such as cotton, presents disposal challenges.
- Developing sustainable composite materials from waste is crucial for environmental protection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of waste medical grade cotton (MGC) for creating sustainable self-reinforced composites (SRC).
- To characterize the properties of SRC films derived from MGC and compare them to dissolved microcrystalline cellulose (DMCC) films.
Main Methods:
- MGC waste was sterilized, scoured, and bleached.
- SRC films were prepared using a lithium chloride/N,N-dimethylacetamide (LiCl/DMAc) solvent system to dissolve MGC fibers into a DMCC matrix.
- Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) were employed for characterization.
Main Results:
- SRC films exhibited significantly improved tensile strength (up to 252 MPa) compared to DMCC films.
- FTIR confirmed complete removal of the LiCl/DMAc solvent.
- SEM revealed successful integration of MGC fibers into the DMCC matrix.
- XRD indicated higher crystallinity in SRC films than in DMCC films.
- TGA showed enhanced thermal stability for SRC films (250-283 °C) compared to DMCC films (225 °C).
Conclusions:
- Waste MGC can be effectively utilized to produce environmentally friendly SRC films.
- The developed SRC films possess high-performance properties, including superior tensile strength and thermal stability.
- This research highlights a sustainable approach to waste valorization in composite material development.
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