Chemical Recycling of Next-Generation Films into New Films and Textile Fibers

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Developing novel and sustainable processes for the production of bioplastics is crucial to addressing and mitigating the environmental challenges caused by the overconsumption of synthetic plastics. The old-fashioned linear “make-take-waste” consumption models are not environmentally sustainable and need to be transformed to circular systems to preserve natural resources. Therefore, in this study, we successfully recycled regenerated cellulose films into films and textile fibers via the Ioncell process. Films produced from dissolving pulp–ionic liquid (IL) solutions (cycle 0) were redissolved in ionic liquid to form recycled films and fibers within cycle 1. This process was repeated to showcase the recyclability of the cellulose within 2 recycling cycles. In both cycles, thin and highly transparent films have been produced that maintained the strength of the original films but improved the elongation at break (230–235 MPa, 10–13%). The fibers exhibit tenacities and elongations at break comparable to standard Ioncell fibers from virgin pulp (51.3–53.7 cN/tex, 9.2–11.6%). Additionally, a demonstration fabric was knitted from fibers of cycle 1. Overall, the results display the recyclability of the cellulosic films into high-quality products without any loss of quality.