Dissolvable Coating for Blended Fibers Textile Recycling

NU 2025-066

Figure 1: Core-spun sheath fibers wrapped around elastane core. The biopolymer (here, chitosan) is dip-coated between these two fabric layers during manufacturing.

BACKGROUND

Textile waste is the second largest pollution generating industry in the world.¹ Current textile recycling methods require many energy intensive steps, and are based on the identity of the textile fabric being recycled. Recyling of elastane-containing fabrics is challenging due to the fabrication method of core-spinning and its incompatibility with other recycling methods (mechanical recycling, depolymerization, etc.). Most elastane fabrics are not recycled due to these challenges.

ABSTRACT

Northwestern researchers have developed a novel mixed-textile manufacturing method which integrates a selected biopolymer in the core-spun textile process, enabling facile end-of-life recycling. This method uses mild conditions, can be easily scalable shown with a pilot roll-to-roll process, and yields effective separation of blended fibers. The technology is versatile, only needing to know the biopolymer coating and compatible dissolving solvent, and thus can be incorporated with a variety of textile materials. 

• Elastane recycling
• Core-spin fiber recycling
• Other blended fiber and textile recycling

• Versatile – technology only needs to know chemical nature of the coating, not the nature of the blended fibers
• Simple – does not require breaking chemical bonds, only dissolution
• Straightforward – only requires single solvent for core-spun yarn separation
• One step – no need for multiple dissolution/reprecipitation steps

PUBLICATIONS

In progress

IP STATUS

A provisional patent application was filed on April 10, 2025.