Utilization of Post-Consumer Cotton Waste for Industrial Applications

ABSTRACT: The accumulation of post-consumer cotton textile waste brings environmental challenges and opportunities for resource recovery. In this work, cotton waste was valorized into nitrocellulose via a pure nitration method, and its potential as a multifunctional material was systematically assessed. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the process parameters with a Box-Behnken design, and the results indicated that nitric acid concentration was the most important parameter affecting nitrogen incorporation. The optimized process produced nitrocellulose with a Nitrogen content of 11.17%, as confirmed by CHNS analysis. However, the FTIR results confirmed that the nitrocellulose was successfully nitrated, as evidenced by the nitro group absorption bands. The produced nitrocellulose was evaluated in various applications, including pyrotechnic green mixtures, adhesive systems, and film production. Gas emission analysis indicated a nitrogen-rich and comparatively cleaner combustion profile. The adhesive test showed moderate bonding to cellulosic materials, whereas the tensile test of films showed a high tensile strength of 60.8–65.8 MPa. The findings indicate that multifunctional nitrocellulose can be successfully produced from post-consumer cotton waste, providing a viable alternative to textile waste recycling methods and adding to efforts to build a sustainable circular economy.