Synthesis of Carbon Black From Post-Consumer Textile Waste and Its Application in Composites

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Considering the worldwide trend of embracing recycling for a greener future, this study transforms cotton-based textile waste into eco-friendly carbon black. It reports an innovative synthesis of carbon black from 100% cotton-based post-consumer textile waste by pyrolysis in an inert nitrogen environment at three temperatures. The synthesized carbon black was applied as a reinforcing material in epoxy resin composites in five different concentrations. Commercial carbon black N-660 was used as a benchmark material. The best results were exhibited by carbon black when synthesized at 950 °C. Morphology analysis confirmed the agglomerate formation of commercial carbon black and the dispersed nature of the prepared carbon black. Raman analysis confirmed defect reduction and increased graphitization of carbon black by increasing pyrolysis temperature. Also, the epoxy composites exhibited improved mechanical properties after the addition of the cotton-based carbon black. Overall, the post-consumer textile waste was successfully converted into valuable textile composites with enhanced properties.