Recovery of Cellulose from Polyester/Cotton Fabrics Making Use of Ionic Liquids

It is estimated that [1] Europe generates 3 million tons of textile waste annually, of which 85% ends up in landfills or is incinerated, and the rest is recovered for reuse in the textile industry.Nowadays, the end of life of textiles is mainly focused on landfills and incinerators AbstractThis article refers to the chemical recovery of cellulose from fabrics composed of Cotton (CO)/Polyester (PES) achieved using Ionic Liquids (ILs).Initially, the effect of ionic liquids on the surface of the textile is analyzed, determining the influencing factors related to the entry of IL inside the textile and the chemical mechanism that controls the system.This work considers the influence of the time, ratio, and temperature variables on the system, with the aim of defining which of them has a greater influence on the process.The ability of ionic liquids, specifically 1-Allyl-3-Methylimidazolium Chloride (AmimCl), to dissolve cellulose and subsequently regenerate the material through a simulation of the wet spinning process is evaluated.The responsible for the fiber's inflation, water or DMSO, has also been another factor of study, analyzing the influence of each solvent and the interactions when in contact with the ionic liquid.Finally, the regenerated substance is characterized by its surface structure using the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), its molecular structure by Infrared Spectroscopy Analysis (FTIR), and its thermal stability by Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA).