Bio-upcycling of viscose/polyamide textile blends waste to biopolymers and fibers

Sophia Mihalyi, Eva Sykacek, Cristina Campano, Natalia Hernández-Herreros, Alberto Rodríguez, Andreas Mautner, M. Auxiliadora Prieto, Felice Quartinello (Corresponding author), Georg M. Guebitz

Publications: Contribution to journalArticlePeer Reviewed

Abstract

Innovative approaches for recycling and upcycling of textile waste are required to sustainably treat the tremendous, discarded amounts. Due to their high specificity and mild reaction conditions, enzymes offer an environmentally friendly alternative for separation of blended materials. Glucose was recovered from cellulose (viscose) and polyamide blends and utilized as carbon source for biosynthesis of two biodegradable polymers. Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) was produced by Cupriavidus necator reaching an intracellular accumulation of 60 % (w/w) and 5.2 g/L of PHB from 20 g/L of glucose-rich hydrolysate. Bacterial cellulose (BC) was produced by Komagataeibacter sucrofermentans exhibiting equal properties to BC produced in standard media as confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy, SEM, and XRD. The recovered polyamide fibers were thermo-mechanically reprocessed and characterized by tensile testing showing comparable properties to virgin material. Thus, a combined bioconversion and mechanical reprocessing approach for textile waste is demonstrated allowing for recycling and valorization of each fraction of blended materials.

Original languageEnglish
Article number107712
JournalResources, Conservation and Recycling
Volume208
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sep 2024

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

  • 104018 Polymer chemistry
  • 211901 Waste prevention

Keywords

  • Bacterial cellulose
  • Enzymatic hydrolysis
  • Mechanical characterization
  • Polyhydroxybutyrate
  • Textile waste recycling
  • Viscose/polyamide blend

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