Waste Textile Reutilization Via a Scalable Dyeing Technology: A Strategy to Enhance Dyestuffs Degradation Efficiency

Abstract

The rapid expansion of the fast fashion industry brings about environmental concerns such as dyestuffs-related water pollutions and waste textiles. Conventional wastewater-disposal strategies emphasize the optimization of photocatalytic activity to improve pollutant degradation efficiency, while the absorptivity, recyclability and sustainability of photocatalysts are always ignored. The overproduced textiles are still in urgent of being recycled and reutilized in eco-friendly approaches. In this work, a scalable dyeing technology is employed to achieve green and sustainable reutilization of waste textiles. The functionalized TiO₂/reduced graphene oxide wool fabrics show excellent sustainability, remarkable adsorbing capacity and enhanced photocatalytic performance. By taking advantage of these properties, we develop an integrated strategy of night-time adsorption and day-time photodegradation which could significantly optimize the dyestuffs degradation efficiency. The concept of waste textiles reutilization and wastewater treatment in this work provides practical potential for efficient and sustainable environmental remediation.

Graphical abstract

Concept of waste textiles reutilization and wastewater treatment.