Selective elastane removal using DMSO–DBN under moderate temperatures: from pure filaments to cotton/polyester blends

Abstract

Selective removal of elastane from textile blends is a critical factor for fibre-to-fibre recycling, since even low elastane content compromises the mechanical shredding efficiency, contaminates recycled streams, and limits the spinnability of recovered fibres. In this work, we investigate dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as a solvent system for elastane degradation under moderate temperatures, both in the absence and in the presence of the organic base catalyst 1,5-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]non-5-ene (DBN). DMSO alone promoted only partial elastane mass loss, typically 26–32% at 80–100 °C (60 min) and up to 79% at 120 °C (10 min), whereas the addition of 0.1% v/v DBN enabled near-complete or complete mass loss (81–100%) across 80–120 °C within 10–60 min. Complete removal of elastane was achieved in isolated elastane filaments at 100 °C within 30–60 min, and the same treatment conditions were applied to real mixtures of pre-consumer textile waste containing 94% cotton/6% elastane and 87% polyester/13% elastane, leading to permanent dimensional relaxation of the resulting fabrics with area increases of approximately 9–14% and 7–13%, respectively, consistent with the loss of elastane-driven elastic recovery. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), tensile testing, and dimensional analysis confirmed selective disruption of the elastane, a loss of elastic recovery, and largely preserved morphology and tensile strength of the cotton and polyester fibres. Dimensional change in the treated fabrics served as an indirect indicator of elastane degradation, correlating with the loss of elasticity observed in both blends. In summary, the DMSO–DBN system provides an energy-efficient, controllable, and scalable route for elastane degradation under comparatively mild conditions, thereby contributing to fibre-to-fibre recycling strategies and the advancement of circular textile manufacturing.