DES formulation for recycling synthetic fibre textile waste containing elastane

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Sustainable Engineering

Background:

• Synthetic fibres like polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyamide 6 (PA6), polyamide 66 (PA66), and elastane (EL) are widely used but pose recycling challenges.
• Current recycling methods often involve degradation or are unsuitable for complex fibre blends.
• Developing non-destructive and selective recycling strategies is crucial for a circular economy in textiles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a sustainable and non-destructive recycling strategy for synthetic fibre blends.
• To selectively dissolve and recover elastane (EL) from fibre mixtures using deep eutectic solvents (DESs).
• To confirm the integrity and reusability of recycled fibres for various applications.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of two deep eutectic solvents (DESs) for selective polymer dissolution.
• Selective dissolution of elastane (EL) from PET, PA6, and PA66 fibre blends.
• Recovery of dissolved EL via centrifugation.
• Characterisation using SEM, DSC, TGA, ATR-FTIR, and mechanical testing.
• Re-extrusion of recovered fibres into continuous filaments.

Main Results:

• DESs selectively dissolved EL without degrading PET, PA6, or PA66.
• Recovered EL maintained its integrity, with no significant changes in morphology or thermal properties.
• PET, PA6, and PA66 fibres showed preserved tensile performance after solvent treatment.
• Recovered fibres were successfully re-extruded into filaments, indicating melt processability.
• No measurable chemical modifications were detected via ATR-FTIR spectroscopy.

Conclusions:

• The proposed DES-based method offers a viable pathway for the circular recycling of complex synthetic fibre blends.
• The non-destructive process preserves fibre integrity and properties, enabling material reuse.
• This approach supports industrial implementation for sustainable textile recycling and resource management.