BoostLab6-3: EnzyDegTex - Biological transformation of textile recycling: enzymatic, selective degradation of used textiles
Project duration
January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2024
Project partners
RWTH Aachen, ITA (Institute of Textile Technolgy), iAMB (Institute of Applied Microbiology), ABBt (Chair of Biotechnology)
Project description
The development objective of the "EnzyDegTex" project is to provide basic materials from textile waste for the chemical, plastics and textile industries. Target raw materials are, for example, mono- and oligomers for the synthesis of melt- or solvent-spinnable polymers.
Enzymatic degradation processes are being investigated as recycling technologies. The use of enzymes enables selective degradation and thus the design of tailored recycling processes. In these recycling processes, textile constructions can also be separated and their starting materials returned, which cannot be separated according to the current state of the art, such as ring and rotor yarns and flame laminated textiles.
In "EnzyDegTex", a complete biotechnological recycling circuit is being developed for various textile products on a laboratory and pilot scale. Process chains with the following sub-steps are investigated:
- Selection and preparation of the waste, in particular size reduction
- Development and implementation of enzymatic degradation
- Enrichment of suitable degradation products
- Production/synthesis of chemical base materials and products from textile wastes
- Development and validation of suitable spinning processes using the chemical raw materials and products produced in "EnzyDegTex are used
- Development of textile products from the spun yarns, e.g. woven fabrics, knitted fabrics
Open positions
currently none