Development of Sustainable and Functional Fabrics from Recycled and Nanocomposite Polyester Fibers

Solomon Addis,Hermela Ejegu,Messay Dubale,Wondwossen Mamuye,Lijing Wang

doi:10.1155/2021/7087152

Solomon Addis, Hermela Ejegu + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/7087152

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Abstract

Antimicrobial knitted and woven fabrics were developed from recycled polyester (PET) and silver nanocomposite (SNC) fibers. Two different fabrics were produced from two different blend proportions of the fibers. The antimicrobial properties of fabrics were tested against those of the S. aureus (Gram-positive) and E. coli (Gram-negative) bacterial natures, and their yarn properties and hand-related characteristics were investigated. The results show uneven fabrics properties such as irregularity in thickness and SNC-recycled PET fiber ratio increase, and the tensile strength decreases while the NEP number increases. This implies that fabrics made from a blend with higher SNC-recycled PET fiber ratios have higher surface roughness levels, higher bending rigidity, and harder texture. As a consequence, the antimicrobial efficiency of the fabrics was improved as the percentage of SNC increased. The recycled PET fiber within the blended yarn shows a good antimicrobial property (above 90%) observed in all fabrics. The reduction of bacterial colonies was constantly exceeding 90% for both E. coli and S. aureus in all fabric samples.

Highlights

Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into valuable materials. is is an alternative way to waste disposal that can save material and help lower greenhouse gas emissions
We analyze the produced sustainable, functional woven and knitted fabrics from recycled and nanocomposite polyester fibers. e results show that the yarn tensile strength decreases, and the unevenness of the yarn increases as the proportion of nanocomposite fiber increases in the blend. e woven fabrics produced from both types of yarn count show more surface roughness, higher bending rigidity, and rough texture when the percentage of silver nanocomposite (SNC)-PET fiber ratio becomes more in the blend
We examined that the percentage of nanocomposite fiber is more in the blend, and the antimicrobial activity in the developed fabric becomes higher

Summary

Introduction

Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into valuable materials. is is an alternative way to waste disposal that can save material and help lower greenhouse gas emissions. Is is an alternative way to waste disposal that can save material and help lower greenhouse gas emissions. In the case of the mechanical recycling method (MRM), the waste bottles are usually recycled directly as polymer feed, through grinding, cleaning, separating, dehydrating, drying, and remelting. In such types of recycling methods, cleaning contaminants and controlling moisture content (0.8%) are important in order to have good quality recycled chips [13,14,15], whereas in the case of chemical recycling, depolymerization of PETpolymer takes place with different techniques, and the polymer is broken down into monomers and oligomers. Using the melt spinning technique, a drawn textured yarn of different counts (PET chips) can be produced from

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