Location: Cotton Quality and Innovation Research
Project Number: 6054-41430-009-003-R
Project Type: Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Jan 1, 2023
End Date: Dec 31, 2023
Objective:
In the textile industry there is a need for a viable alternative for the tons of cotton-based apparel waste that is generated each year which is either burned or disposed of in landfills. The present proposal seeks to convert this apparel waste to cellulose nanocrystals and cellulose nanofibers.
Approach:
In part one cotton-based apparel waste in the form of scraps of dyed cotton fabric is converted to cellulose nanofibers and cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) via a combination of mechanical grinding of the feedstock material, followed by chemical processing to produce cellulose nanocrystals and cellulose nanofibers. In part two cotton-based apparel waste residue generated from the partial acid hydrolysis of the cellulose contained in apparel waste is converted to cellulose nanocrystals through acid neutralization, solvent washing, sonication, chemical bleaching and dialysis.
