Natural solvent techniques for close-loop recycling of polyester textile

This study investigates the use and recovery of natural deep eutectic solvent (NaDES) in dissolution-precipitation of polymers as a sustainable approach for textile waste recycling, employing thymol and carvacrol for polyester dissolution and ethanol as an antisolvent for precipitation.  The process was evaluated through polymer recovery efficiency, solvent recovery, and the integrity of the recovered materials.  FTIR spectroscopy confirmed that the recovered polymer maintained its integrity, exhibiting no significant differences compared to virgin polyester. The recovery of the solvent was obtained through distillation, which conditions were optimized in the present work. The recovered solvent purity and integrity was confirmed by NMR analysis. This study demonstrates that dissolution-precipitation with NaDES offers a promising, environmentally friendly alternative to traditional polyester recycling methods, which often involve high energy consumption or hazardous chemicals. The optimized process supports a closed-loop recycling approach, providing an opportunity for sustainable large-scale implementation, and contributes to advancing greener recycling practices in the textile industry, with potential benefits for both environmental sustainability and resource conservation.