Authored by Danmei Sun*
Abstract
The environmental impact of plastics has been made increasing concerns in recent years. Post-consumer plastic bottles created an environmental crisis. Polyester is a very versatile fibre material that has been widely used in the textile and fashion industry. However recycled polyester (R-PET) is not yet widely available at a commercial mass-market scale. Also, there is limited academic literature available on the performance characteristics of R-PET in textile form. This study attempts to compile a rounded evaluation of R-PET textiles derived from post-consumer plastic bottles, based on some objective tests related mainly to fabric mechanical properties. Tested samples are from two equivalent fabrics that were developed in this study – one is made of R-PET and the other the virginal polyester (V-PET). R-PET fabric showed very positive results in the tensile strength, abrasion resistance that provided promising potential to be used as a new feedstock for technical textiles, as well as fashion clothing. This will reduce waste to landfill or oceans. It can also reduce the use of new V-PET made of crude oils and reduce pollution and environmental impact.Keywords: Recycled polyester; Strength; Flexibility; Abrasion resistance; Formability
Introduction
Many sources [1,2], reported that 8 million tonnes as the most accurate figure of plastic waste enters oceans each year. In the UK alone, a Mintel Market Sizes Report [3] demonstrates a market volume of 3.117 billion liters in bottled water for 2016. This data represents only a segment of total plastic bottle consumption figure for the UK, as it excludes figures from carbonated soft drinks, sports drinks and energy drinks (these categories are not broken down to distinguish sales of cans from PET bottles). According to a Guardian report [4], a million plastic bottles are bought around the world every minute and the number will jump another 20% by 2021, creating an environmental crisis and some campaigners predict will be as serious as climate change. Figure 1 shows an example of a waste plastic bottle centre. The severe quantities of many thermoplastic polymeric materials such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is needed to be recycled and reused with increased environmental pollution [5,6]. Recycled polyester (R-PET), derived from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), has been paid great attention and is argued to pose a solution to the high impact fibres which the industry relies on such as polyester and cotton with 55% and 27% respective market share as of 2015 [7].R-PET has not yet been made widely available at a commercial, particularly in the mass market level. PET remains the most used fibre in the fashion and textile industry due to its many advantages including its cost-effective aspect in comparison to many other fibres. The life-cycle of the polymer also poses interesting question as it is widely used in disposable products such as soft drinks bottles. With the demanding question of ocean pollution and lack of resources pressing the textile industry for alternative raw materials, there is no doubt that R-PET can offer an idealistic, and also two-pronged solution which can not only reduce waste but also the environmental impact caused in the production of new raw materials. The benefits have been praised by many researchers and questions therefore the potential limitations of this R-PET fibre in textile use which, along with low oil prices, may be withholding the growth of its share in the textiles market as compared to V-PET [3]. Figure 2 shows the life cycles of PET.
Through researching the market, it was found there is a lack of fashion brands using R-PET in their products. Most existing R-PET products are as stand-alone items in novelty range basis. R-PET has not become a common textile product, despite the extensive academic research carried out since the past decade. Most studies were concerned with R-PET’s performance in low-value commodities such as cement, or for thermal and sound insulation. Few firms such as TEJIN – a Japanese company, claimed that their R-PET fibre quality is equivalent to that of PET freshly produced from petroleum, through their developed techniques to separate and eliminate additives and colorants not only from PET bottles but also from other PET products and purifies the material to an extent [12,13].
Although PET is the most used plastic fibre that already subjected for recycling; however, there are concerns that the recycling process may lower some of its properties, e.g. mechanical strength etc. [14]. Telli and Babaarslan fulfilled an academic gap in research, confirming stiffness in objective tests as an R-PET weakness, discovering also that bending rigidity increased after washing. More research work needs to be done in the property examination of the R-PET. This study aims to evaluate some physical and mechanical properties of fabrics made of R-PET and make comparisons to an equivalent fabric made of V-PET.
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