Elastic textile fibers made from carbon dioxide
Covestro
Two research projects have succeeded in making elastic textile fibers based on CO2 and so they can partly replace crude oil as a raw material. This company and its partners are developing the production process on an industrial scale and aim to make the innovative fibers (photo) ready for the market. They can be used for stockings and medical textiles, for example, and might replace conventional elastic fibers based on crude oil. The elastic fibers are made with a chemical component that consists in part of CO2 instead of oil. This precursor, called Cardyon, is already used for foam in mattresses and sports floorings, and now it is being applied to the textile industry. The fibers are made from CO2-based thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) using a technique called melt spinning, in which the TPU is melted, pressed into very fine threads and finally processed into a yarn of endless fibers. Unlike dry spinning, which is used to produce conventional elastic synthetic fibers such as Elastane or Spandex, melt spinning eliminates the need for environmentally harmful solvents. A new chemical method enables CO2 to be incorporated into the base material, which also has a better CO2 footprint than traditional elastic fibers. Hall 6, Stand A75 — Covestro AG, Leverkusen, Germany