Xeros Technology to explore upcycling of microplastics

Xeros Technology has partnered with the University of Surrey to jointly fund ground-breaking research to turn the microfibers recovered from a laundry into a valuable and usable carbon material.

Microfibers are referred to as microscopic “threads” that are less than 5 millimeters and separate from fabrics during routine washing and wearing of clothing.

According to estimates, washing our clothes alone releases more than 500,000 tons of microfibres into the oceans each year. According to research, synthetic textile microfibers are one of the major contributors to microplastic pollution in the world’s oceans, contaminating every inch of the planet, from the top of Mount Everest3 to the Mariana Trench.

Xeros Technology created the XFilter, a washing machine filtration system, to address this serious environmental issue by capturing the microfibers and preventing their discharge into the oceans.

Like we already do with vacuum cleaners and tumble dryers that gather comparable mixed fibers, XFilter lasts the lifespan of a washing machine and enables consumers to drop the caught microfibers directly into their bin to be disposed of with other household garbage. Because they are frequently mixed with other materials and also contain collected dirt and soil, microfiber waste from filtering is a difficult substance to recycle within the current recycling infrastructure.

For this reason, Xeros and the University of Surrey have partnered to accelerate research into better ways to end this ongoing pollution buildup in the future.

The University of Surrey and North Carolina State University teams, under the direction of Dr. Melis Duyar, have created a brand-new technique that is intended to upcycle textile micro/nano fibers that are lost during washing and drying of clothing. As a byproduct, the process yields solid carbon nanoparticles and pure hydrogen.

Dr. Duyar, senior lecturer at the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at University of Surrey, said that at the University of Surrey, they are researching ways to upcycle microplastics without releasing the fossil carbon contained in them into the atmosphere in the form of greenhouse gas emissions. Any solution we develop to address plastic pollution must also be compatible with their plan for transitioning to a net zero-emission economy because plastics are one of the issues brought on by their reliance on fossil fuels. Through the development of techniques for upcycling actual microfiber trash gathered from commercially available filters, this relationship with Xeros will enable them to move their technology closer to commercialisation. They’re thrilled to observe the performance of their patent-pending technologies when applied to mixed fiber feedstocks, which is a significant step towards creating a workable, practical solution.

Batteries, solar panels, and medical devices can all benefit from the usage of carbon nanomaterials produced using this upcycling technique.

Dr. Paul Servin, Application Development director of Xeros, said that there is nothing better than to convert what is currently considered to be waste and a problem in the world into a highly valuable product, which is what they, together with the excellent researchers at University in Surrey, will accomplish. This idea, which he thinks will pave the stage for future separated collecting of microfibers from washing machines, tumble dryers, and vacuum cleaners with the aim of upcycling into a more valuable commodity has me incredibly excited.

The study will start in January 2023, with research lasting a full year.