“So-called phenomenon”fast fashions” loads around with large volumes of old clothes, some of which have only been worn for a few months before being tossed in the trash.
The fact that many of today’s fabrics combine fibers of different compositions hinders mechanical recycling efforts where each material must be isolated from the fabric separately.
A solution may be provided by a new chemical recycling method that turns old clothes into raw materials for new ones.
The whole process actually takes 15 minutes, they report Advances in science the researchers who invented it.
According to previous research, only 1% of the clothing used in the world is recycled, and three quarters are either thrown into landfills or burned for energy.
The journal’s website notes that synthetic textile fibers account for “one-third or more of the microplastics that end up in the ocean.” Nature o Dionysis Vlachos of the University of Delaware in Newark, a member of the research team.
The researcher noted that mechanical recycling is not enough because “the quality of the final product decreases.”
Glycolysis
To solve the problem, his team used a chemical reaction called glycolysis, using microwaves that break down fibers into smaller molecules.
The reaction does not affect natural fibers such as cotton, but effectively breaks down synthetic fibers from polymeric materials.
When applied to pure polyester fabrics, for example, the reaction can convert 90% of the fibers into a molecule called BHET, which can then be used as a raw material to produce new polyester fabrics.
The same approach can be applied to polycotton fabrics, which are 50% cotton and 50% polyester. The reaction leaves behind clean cotton that can be reused relatively easily.
Tests have shown that the reaction can also recycle lycra, which breaks down into a useful molecule called MDA, not nylon.
Its effectiveness is also reduced on dyed fabrics and fabrics that resist UV radiation or fire.
Nevertheless, Vlachos and his colleagues estimate that once the new method is perfected, it could recycle 88% of clothing worldwide.
As the researcher says, “we are very optimistic that we can apply this in the real world.”