@article{22614,
  abstract     = {This study presents a sustainable and non-destructive recycling strategy for synthetic fibres, specifically polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyamide 6 (PA6), polyamide 66 (PA66), and elastane (EL). Two deep eutectic solvents (DESs) were synthesised, enabling selective dissolution of EL without degrading the surrounding polymer matrices. The dissolved EL phase was subsequently recovered by centrifugation, demonstrating its potential for material reuse. Comprehensive characterisation confirmed that the process preserves fibre integrity. SEM imaging revealed no detectable changes in fibre morphology, while DSC and TGA analyses indicated that the thermal properties of both EL and synthetic polymers were preserved. ATR-FTIR spectroscopy verified the absence of measurable chemical modifications. Mechanical testing showed that solvent treatment did not compromise the tensile performance of PET, PA6, or PA66 fibres, confirming their suitability for fibre-to-fibre recycling.
The recovered fibres were successfully re-extruded into continuous filaments, confirming their melt processability and enabling potential applications in textile yarns, technical fibres, nonwovens, and polymer components via melt-spinning or moulding. These results demonstrate that the proposed DES-based method offers a promising approach for the circular recycling of complex fibre blends and provides a viable pathway towards industrial implementation.},
  author       = {Depope, Nika and Depope, Al and Archodoulaki, Vasiliki Maria and Dabrowska, Alicja and Lendl, Bernhard and Mautner, Andreas and Ipsmiller, Wolfgang and Bartl, Andreas},
  issn         = {1879-2456},
  journal      = {Waste Management},
  publisher    = {Elsevier},
  title        = {{DES formulation for recycling synthetic fibre textile waste containing elastane}},
  doi          = {10.1016/j.wasman.2026.115736},
  volume       = {224},
  year         = {2026},
}

@article{20491,
  abstract     = {Global fibre production has expanded rapidly, with polyester and cotton dominating, significantly contributing to textile waste and increasing demand for sustainable solutions. This study presents innovative method to recycle polyester/cotton (PET/CO) blends using hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents (DESs), eliminating the need for toxic chemicals while achieving high dissolution yields. PET was completely dissolved within 5 min, substantially outperforming state-of-the-art methods and facilitating the efficient and selective recovery of both components, PET (97%) and CO (100%). SEM imaging confirmed no morphological changes in cotton fibres after treatment. The thermal stability of the recovered materials was validated using DSC and TGA analyses, while ATR-FTIR spectroscopy indicated no chemical changes. Mechanical testing confirmed recovered cotton’s tenacity and elongation are within expected ranges despite showing a decrease of 28% in tenacity and 34% in elongation. Hence, the proposed process provides an efficient and sustainable recycling solution for PET/CO blends, retaining both polymers in a condition similar to virgin materials used in textile manufacturing with minimal processing time.},
  author       = {Depope, Nika and Depope, Al and Archodoulaki, Vasiliki Maria and Ipsmiller, Wolfgang and Bartl, Andreas},
  issn         = {1879-2456},
  journal      = {Waste Management},
  publisher    = {Elsevier},
  title        = {{Deep eutectic solvent as a solution for polyester/cotton textile recycling}},
  doi          = {10.1016/j.wasman.2025.115177},
  volume       = {208},
  year         = {2025},
}