Wastepaper-Based Cuprammonium Rayon Regenerated Using Novel Gaseous-Ammoniation Injection Process

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Textile Chemistry
• Sustainable Manufacturing

Background:

• Rayon is a vital cellulosic fiber in the textile industry.
• Cuprammonium rayon offers a more eco-friendly alternative to other rayon types.
• Traditional cuprammonium rayon synthesis often involves less sustainable practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a more environmentally friendly method for synthesizing cuprammonium rayon.
• To utilize wastepaper-derived α-cellulose as a raw material.
• To optimize the gaseous-ammoniation injection (GAI) process for cuprammonium rayon production.

Main Methods:

• Regenerating α-cellulose from wastepaper using a novel gaseous-ammoniation injection (GAI) process.
• Synthesizing tetra-ammine copper hydroxide (cuoxam solution) by direct ammonia gas injection.
• Dissolving cellulose in cuoxam solution and regenerating it in a citric acid bath.

Main Results:

• The GAI process yielded cuprammonium rayon with a high efficiency of 90.3%.
• The synthesized rayon exhibited favorable fibrous properties (staple length, linear density, fiber diameter) and mechanical characteristics (tensile strength, elongation at break, modulus, breaking tenacity).
• An ammonia gas injection rate of 120 mL/minute was identified as optimal for maximizing fiber tensile strength.

Conclusions:

• The GAI process provides a sustainable and efficient route to produce high-quality cuprammonium rayon from wastepaper.
• The optimized process yields rayon with properties suitable for applications in sustainable textiles and insulation materials.
• This innovation reduces environmental impact compared to conventional rayon production methods.