Although it is great that many types of paper can now be recycled, textile waste is still usually just dumped or burned (with a few experimental exceptions). A new technique could change that by combining the two materials, using discarded cotton clothing to stimulate the strength of packaging paper.
The process is being developed at the Graz University of Technology of Austria, by a team led by postdoctoral researcher Thomas Harter.
It starts with the discarded clothing based on cotton that is mechanically torn into fragments and then combined with a water -based solvent solution. That mixture is then milled to disassemble the intertwined cotton fibers without allowing them to clump together or form buttons.
It is claimed that the resulting fibrous slurry looks a lot like the pulp used when making paper. In fact, the fabric is added Unpleasant The recycled paper pulp used in the production of packaging papers such as cardboard, which increases the strength of the end product.
TU Graz
Lab tests have reportedly shown that even when the improved paper contains only 30% textile fiber, it is still considerably stronger than packaging paper made purely from the recycled paper fiber. This is because the textile fibers are on average 1.7 mm long than their paper counterparts. Both cotton fibers and the wood fibers that are traditionally used in making paper are mainly composed of cellulose.
It is important that the increased packaging paper can be processed, just like regular paper. It do Have a brownish color that is interspersed with colored speckles of color -painted fabrics, but that characteristic has no effect on its performance.
It is hoped that once the technology has been further developed, this textile waste can derive from landfills, produce a stronger packaging paper that takes longer before it has to be recycled, And Reduce the amount of thrown paper that is needed for the production of packaging paper.
Harter and colleagues are now investigating methods to scale up technology for industrial use, part of which will be to reduce the energy requirements for the free process. This can be facilitated by treating the grated fabric with enzymes, making it easier for the cotton fibers to fall apart.
Source: TU Graz
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