VALORISATION OF TEXTILE WASTES BY TORREFACTION
Project no. 361 · Status: Kapanmış · 2018
Summary
The aim of the project is the conversion of textile wastes to carbonaceous biochar by torrefaction. For the biochars obtained, two usage areas, the usage as an energy feedstock and the usage for the functionalisation of textile materials, were intended. In this context, in the first stage of the Project, various textile wastes including cotton, cotton/polyester, acrylic and their blends were subjected to torrefaction at 300-400 °C. The properties and fuel characteristics of resultant biochars were investigated and their usability as energy feedstock were examined. It was shown that lignite-like biochars could be obtained from cotton and cotton/polyester based textile wastes with high yields. Furthermore, unlike other biomass sources, the negligible amount of ash and sulphur of textile waste based biochars are advantageous for the use as a fuel. However, the high nitrogen content of acrylic based biochars limits their use as a fuel. In the second stage of the project, cotton, cotton/polyester and acrylic based biochars were applied to cotton fabrics by conventional pigment printing method. Comfort properties such as moisture transfer, drying properties, water vapour and air permeability, heat transfer properties of biochar printed fabrics were investigated. Moreover, heat preservation, far infrared emissivity and odour adsorption properties were also examined. It was revealed that the application of biochars improved the moisture transfer, accelerated the drying and increased the water vapour permeability. In addition, data were acquired that biochar printed fabrics had odour masking properties. As a result, it was shown that odor masking functional textile materials with high thermophysiological comfort can be produced by the recycling and application of textile wastes in biochar form. It was envisaged that these products might be advantageous for the use particularly in casual wear and sportswear.