Recycling Textile Waste, especially elastane and polyamide, is one of the greatest challenges in the industry due to the complexity of mixing these two polymers, which makes separation practically unfeasible. However, Nanoxem is revolutionizing sustainability with an innovative technology that enables the direct recycling of polyamide, without needing to separate the components. This technology is made possible by a state-of-the-art additive developed in partnership with Kenrich Petrochemicals, which stabilizes the polymer blend, transforming it into a high-performance thermoplastic.
How Does Mechanical Recycling with Nanoxem Additives Work?
The recycling process uses a specific additive that acts directly during the polymers' fusion, allowing the material to be redesigned without losing its essential properties. During extrusion, the additive couples and repolymerizes the blend, preserving key characteristics needed for injection molding of polyamide parts. Common issues such as material degradation and leakage during the process are eliminated, resulting in a recycled polymer that retains its mechanical properties and can be used for new products.
Benefits of the New Polymer
This new recycled polymer offers numerous advantages for the industry:
Waste Reduction: Prevents hundreds of tons of textile waste from ending up in landfills, promoting an environmentally responsible solution.
Resource Savings: By recycling the elastane and polyamide blend without separation, energy and resources are saved, contributing to the creation of high-performance parts.
Preservation of Mechanical Properties: Unlike conventional methods, Nanoxem’s additive maintains the original properties of polyamide, allowing for the production of new products with the same quality and durability as virgin polymers.
Elimination of Molding Issues: Nanoxem’s technology removes degradation and leakage problems, ensuring a functional and safe recycled material for reuse.
Application Versatility: This recycled polymer has potential applications in various sectors, such as automotive and construction, where strength and durability are crucial.
The recycled material, resulting from the coupling and repolymerization of the elastane/polyamide blend, is an example of sustainability applied to high-performance materials. It retains a robust structure and functional properties, such as resistance and durability, ideal for complex and precision components.
The Partnership That Made Innovation Possible
The collaboration between Nanoxem and Kenrich Petrochemicals was crucial to enabling this technology. Kenrich’s expertise in specialized additives complements Nanoxem’s approach to creating innovative and sustainable solutions for complex materials, promoting a more responsible lifecycle for polymers once considered unrecyclable.
This technology marks a milestone for the circular economy, aligning with principles of sustainability and environmental responsibility. By transforming textile waste into high-quality resources, Nanoxem opens new possibilities for recycling waste of different compositions, contributing to a greener future for the materials industry.
Conclusion
Nanoxem’s innovation in recycling elastane and polyamide is an example of how material science can turn environmental challenges into sustainable opportunities. With this solution, the company not only helps reduce textile waste but also redefines the concept of mechanical recycling, with the extruder acting as a true reactor, coupling and repolymerizing in-line, in a responsible and resilient manner.
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