An investigation into the minimum energy requirements for transforming end-of-life cotton textiles into carbon fibre in an Australian context

The work presents on the relationship between temperature, time and carbon content in the preparation of a carbon fibre cloth from end-of-life cotton textiles. The aim of this investigation was to identify the minimum energy requirements for this textile recycling opportunity. The composition of the carbon fibre was studied using elemental combustion instruments and X-ray fluorescence. The structure of the carbon fibres was studied through scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Through this process it was determined that the optimum temperature and time requirements were 1150 °C and 30 min to prepare a carbon fibre under the conventional definition, which requires carbon content to be in excess of 90%. The minimum temperature and time requirements for a lower grade carbon fibre of 80% carbon content are 650 °C and 30 min. This research can support efforts to improve circularity of cotton textiles for high value applications in environmental management or electronic markets. This in turn could support these industries to reduce their carbon footprint and meet their sustainable procurement targets for greater uptake of recycled content materials.