Low temperature synthesis of carbon fibres from post-consumer textile waste and their application to composites: An ecofriendly approach

Abstract

Carbon fibres were synthesized by using cotton-based post-consumer textile waste as precursor in an inert environment of nitrogen at three different temperatures of 400 °C, 500 °C and 600 °C at a heating rate of 5 °C/min. Synthesized carbon fibres were subjected to various analysis such as surface morphology, structural properties and chemical nature using scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-rays photoelectron spectroscopy respectively. Obtained carbon fibres revealed high carbon content and good structural properties especially at 600 °C synthesis temperature. The carbon fibres were employed in epoxy composites in five different weight ratios to enhance tensile properties. Maximum strength was exhibited by carbon fibres synthesized at 600 °C i.e., 56.77 % by addition of 1 % filler and an increment of 93 % in ultimate tensile strength was recorded at 4 % filler weight when compared to neat epoxy. 400 °C carbon fibres-based composites exhibited minimum strength among all composites on comparative basis ranging from 29 % to 63 % at 1 % to 5 % concentrations of filler respectively. While the 500 °C carbon fibres-based composites exhibited tensile properties in-between the 400 °C and 600 °C carbon fibres-based composites. Similar trends were seen in the young modulus, resilience, and tensile toughness analysis. • Upcycling of the textile waste into high valued carbon fibres • Possible solution for the disposal of huge textile wastes • Fabrication of structural parts based on carbon fibres from waste textiles