title: Renewable High-Performance Fibers from the Chemical Recycling of Cotton Waste Utilizing an Ionic Liquid.
abstract: A new chemical recycling method for waste cotton is presented that allows the production of virgin textile fibers of substantially higher quality than that from the mechanical recycling methods that are used currently. Cotton postconsumer textile wastes were solubilized fully in the cellulose-dissolving ionic liquid 1,5-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]non-5-enium acetate ([DBNH]OAc) to be processed into continuous filaments. As a result of the heterogeneous raw material that had a different molar mass distribution and degree of polymerization, pretreatment to adjust the cellulose degree of polymerization by acid hydrolysis, enzyme hydrolysis, or blending the waste cotton with birch prehydrolyzed kraft pulp was necessary to ensure spinnability. The physical properties of the spun fibers and the effect of the processing parameters on the ultrastructural changes of the fibers were measured. Fibers with a tenacity (tensile strength) of up to 58 cN tex-1(870 MPa) were prepared, which exceeds that of native cotton and commercial man-made cellulosic fibers.
authors: Department of Forest Product Technology, Aalto University, Vuorimiehentie 1, P.O. Box 16300, 00076, Espoo, Finland.
authors: Shirin
authors: 0000-0002-9848-2321
authors: S
authors: Asaadi
authors: Department of Forest Product Technology, Aalto University, Vuorimiehentie 1, P.O. Box 16300, 00076, Espoo, Finland.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Hummel
authors: Department of Forest Product Technology, Aalto University, Vuorimiehentie 1, P.O. Box 16300, 00076, Espoo, Finland.
authors: Sanna
authors: S
authors: Hellsten
authors: Department of Design, Aalto University, Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Tiina
authors: T
authors: Härkäsalmi
authors: Department of Forest Product Technology, Aalto University, Vuorimiehentie 1, P.O. Box 16300, 00076, Espoo, Finland.
authors: Yibo
authors: Y
authors: Ma
authors: Department of Forest Product Technology, Aalto University, Vuorimiehentie 1, P.O. Box 16300, 00076, Espoo, Finland.
authors: Anne
authors: A
authors: Michud
authors: Department of Forest Product Technology, Aalto University, Vuorimiehentie 1, P.O. Box 16300, 00076, Espoo, Finland.
authors: Herbert
authors: H
authors: Sixta
mesh_terms: D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry; D032561:Cotton Fiber; D052578:Ionic Liquids / Q000737:chemistry*; D008970:Molecular Weight; D059027:Recycling; D013718:Tensile Strength; D014783:Viscosity; D014866:Waste Products
chemical_list: D052578:Ionic Liquids; D014866:Waste Products; D002482:Cellulose
keywords: cellulose; fibers; ionic liquids; renewable resources; waste prevention