DTA - Smart textiles via recycling cotton and wood cellulose waste streams

Cellulosic fibers are favorable for the textile industry due to their sustainability, breathability and water-retention capacity that cannot be not matched by synthetic fibers. With the growing world population we have a growing need of producing more textiles however, the production of cotton and wood based cellulose fibers are not expected to meet the increasing demand. Furthermore, with the increasing waste figures involved in textile industry; globally just 12% of the textile fibers is recycled. Therefore, we are in urgent need to develop efficient engineering solutions to reuse and revalorize the existing textile waste.

This project will aim to investigate chemical and mechanical recycling routes for Cellulose based textiles to manufacture recycled smart fibres from waste streams. This interdisciplinary research project, combines polymer science, advanced characterisation and textile technology through the following aspects:

Through this project the student will have the opportunity to:

1.   Use mechanical methods to produce cellulose pulp from the textile waste streams using high speed shearing and pulp beating methods

2.   We will collect cellulose from cotton and wood resources and treat them using chemical methods (dilute acid treatments followed by dissolving cellulose in industrial solvents that are used in fibre processing

3.   We will integrate smart functional particles into the produced cellulose pulp to add functionalities to the recycled fibres

4.   The crecycled cellulose will be spun using pilot scale extrudersys ems and using our composite weawing methods

5.   The syudent will have great training opportunities using the infrastructure of the department and will do the mechanical, morphological and chemical and structural characterization to assess the fibre properties.

Through the project we will also create business engagement opportunities to translate the technology developed in this work to real applications.

Academic background of candidates

A minimum 2.1 honours degree, preferably first class;

Subject background ideally in, but not limited to

·        Materials Science and Engineering

·        Textile Engineering

·        Materials Chemistry

·        Polymer Science and Chemistry

At the University of Manchester, we pride ourselves on our commitment to fairness, inclusion and respect in everything we do. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and identities, and encourage you to bring your whole self to work and study. We will ensure that your application is given full consideration without regard to your race, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, nationality, disability, age, marital or pregnancy status, or socioeconomic background. All PhD places will be awarded on the basis of merit.

To apply please follow the link below:

https://www.manchester.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-research/admissions/how-to-apply/