Textile microfibers valorization by catalytic hydrothermal carbonization toward high-tech carbonaceous materials

Summary: Microplastics fibers shed from washing synthetic textiles are released directly into the waters and make up 35% of primary microplastics discharged to the aquatic environment. While filtration devices and regulations are in development, safe disposal methods remain absent. Herein, we invest...

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Main Authors: Silvia Parrilla-Lahoz, Marielis C. Zambrano, Joel J. Pawlak, Richard A. Venditti, Tomas Ramirez Reina, Jose Antonio Odriozola, Melis S. Duyar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:iScience
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S258900422402652X
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author Silvia Parrilla-Lahoz
Marielis C. Zambrano
Joel J. Pawlak
Richard A. Venditti
Tomas Ramirez Reina
Jose Antonio Odriozola
Melis S. Duyar
author_facet Silvia Parrilla-Lahoz
Marielis C. Zambrano
Joel J. Pawlak
Richard A. Venditti
Tomas Ramirez Reina
Jose Antonio Odriozola
Melis S. Duyar
author_sort Silvia Parrilla-Lahoz
collection DOAJ
description Summary: Microplastics fibers shed from washing synthetic textiles are released directly into the waters and make up 35% of primary microplastics discharged to the aquatic environment. While filtration devices and regulations are in development, safe disposal methods remain absent. Herein, we investigate catalytic hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) as a means of integrating this waste (0.28 million tons of microfibers per year) into the circular economy by catalytic upcycling to carbon nanomaterials. Herein, we show that cotton and polyester can be converted to filamentous solid carbon nanostructures using a Fe-Ni catalyst during HTC. Results revealed the conversion of microfibers into amorphous and graphitic carbon structures, including carbon nanotubes from a cotton/polyethylene terephthalate (PET) mixture. HTC at 200°C and 22 bar pressure produced graphitic carbon in all samples, demonstrating that mixed microfiber wastes can be valorized to provide potentially valuable carbon structures by modifying reaction parameters and catalyst formulation.
format Article
id doaj-art-08a5fc49da55415da8f99d35b2cd1a46
institution OA Journals
issn 2589-0042
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series iScience
spelling doaj-art-08a5fc49da55415da8f99d35b2cd1a462025-08-20T02:35:04ZengElsevieriScience2589-00422024-12-01271211142710.1016/j.isci.2024.111427Textile microfibers valorization by catalytic hydrothermal carbonization toward high-tech carbonaceous materialsSilvia Parrilla-Lahoz0Marielis C. Zambrano1Joel J. Pawlak2Richard A. Venditti3Tomas Ramirez Reina4Jose Antonio Odriozola5Melis S. Duyar6School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Surrey, GU2 7XH Guildford, UK; Inorganic Chemistry Department & Materials Science Institute, University of Seville-CSIC, Avda. Américo Vespucio 49, 41092 Sevilla, SpainDepartment of Forest Biomaterials, College of Natural Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8005, USADepartment of Forest Biomaterials, College of Natural Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8005, USADepartment of Forest Biomaterials, College of Natural Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8005, USASchool of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Surrey, GU2 7XH Guildford, UK; Inorganic Chemistry Department & Materials Science Institute, University of Seville-CSIC, Avda. Américo Vespucio 49, 41092 Sevilla, SpainInorganic Chemistry Department & Materials Science Institute, University of Seville-CSIC, Avda. Américo Vespucio 49, 41092 Sevilla, SpainSchool of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Surrey, GU2 7XH Guildford, UK; Corresponding authorSummary: Microplastics fibers shed from washing synthetic textiles are released directly into the waters and make up 35% of primary microplastics discharged to the aquatic environment. While filtration devices and regulations are in development, safe disposal methods remain absent. Herein, we investigate catalytic hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) as a means of integrating this waste (0.28 million tons of microfibers per year) into the circular economy by catalytic upcycling to carbon nanomaterials. Herein, we show that cotton and polyester can be converted to filamentous solid carbon nanostructures using a Fe-Ni catalyst during HTC. Results revealed the conversion of microfibers into amorphous and graphitic carbon structures, including carbon nanotubes from a cotton/polyethylene terephthalate (PET) mixture. HTC at 200°C and 22 bar pressure produced graphitic carbon in all samples, demonstrating that mixed microfiber wastes can be valorized to provide potentially valuable carbon structures by modifying reaction parameters and catalyst formulation.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S258900422402652XEngineeringMaterials scienceMaterials chemistry
spellingShingle Silvia Parrilla-Lahoz
Marielis C. Zambrano
Joel J. Pawlak
Richard A. Venditti
Tomas Ramirez Reina
Jose Antonio Odriozola
Melis S. Duyar
Textile microfibers valorization by catalytic hydrothermal carbonization toward high-tech carbonaceous materials
iScience
Engineering
Materials science
Materials chemistry
title Textile microfibers valorization by catalytic hydrothermal carbonization toward high-tech carbonaceous materials
title_full Textile microfibers valorization by catalytic hydrothermal carbonization toward high-tech carbonaceous materials
title_fullStr Textile microfibers valorization by catalytic hydrothermal carbonization toward high-tech carbonaceous materials
title_full_unstemmed Textile microfibers valorization by catalytic hydrothermal carbonization toward high-tech carbonaceous materials
title_short Textile microfibers valorization by catalytic hydrothermal carbonization toward high-tech carbonaceous materials
title_sort textile microfibers valorization by catalytic hydrothermal carbonization toward high tech carbonaceous materials
topic Engineering
Materials science
Materials chemistry
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S258900422402652X
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