New Adhesive 'Makes Carpets Recyclable'

摘要

A novel enzymatic approach to developing a lignin-based adhesive aimed at replacing synthetic latex in wool floor coverings could lead to carpets that can be recycled at the end of their life, according to researchers at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia in Barcelona, Spain. Traditional carpets consist of yarns stuck to a backing fabric by an adhesive, usually synthetic latex, which is a non-recyclable material and is almost impossible to remove at the end of a carpet's life. However, the new research has investigated how to replace the synthetic latex with an organic lignin-based alternative.