A VERSATILE METHOD TO VALORIZE CELLULOSIC WASTE TEXTILES

摘要

A process for valorization of a crude waste textile material comprising cotton fibers, viscose fibers and/or other cellulosic textile fibers into cellulose pulp. The process comprises the steps of: - providing a comminuted textile material comprising cotton fibers, viscose fibers and/or other cellulosic fibers; - mixing the comminuted textile material with at least one solvent in the form of an aqueous metal halide (MeX), comprising MeX in a concentration in the range of 60 to 80 wt%, or in the form of a metal halide hydrate having the formula MeX·n(H2O), wherein the metal Me is Li+, Zn2+, Mg2+, or Ca2+, wherein the halide X is Cl- (chlorine) or Br- (bromine), and wherein the integer "n" is 2 to 6, such as 3 or 4; - heating the mixture of the comminuted textile material and the metal halide to dissolve, at least partly, the comminuted textile material to provide a solution of cellulose and MeX; and - precipitating cellulose pulp from the solution of cellulose and MeX, preferably by adding an aqueous solution to the solution of cellulose and MeX to precipitate cellulose pulp; - recovering cellulose pulp.