TGA of textile fibres

Global fiber production reflects ongoing changes in the textile industry. The rapid growth of the textile industry, while contributing to a wide range of products and meeting demand, also leads to a significant increase in textile waste, creating serious environmental problems. Efficient textile recycling requires reliable fiber identification and analysis. The study applied thermogravimetric analysis (TGA/DTG) and elemental (CHNO) analysis to twenty textile samples, including natural (cotton, linen, cellulose, wool), bio-based (viscose), synthetic (polyester, recycled polyester, polyamide 6/polyamide 6.6, polyacrylic), and blended fibers. The thermal stability trend, as indicated by the DTG peak temperatures, ranks the fibers from lowest to highest stability: wool, tencel, cellulose, cotton, polyacrylic, viscose, polyamide 6.0 and 6.6, and polyester. Therefore, this study presents comprehensive data on the thermal behavior of textile fibers of various origins. In addition to the standard characterization, kinetic modelling was used to gain an understanding of the decomposition mechanisms of fiber blends. Overall, the results obtained are informative and advantageous for creating a basis for optimizing the processing of textile waste.