Microfiber Upcycling Methods

Xeros Debuts a Research Initiative for Upcycling Plastic Microfibers

Xeros Technology, a clean tech company based in the United Kingdom, has launched a research investigation on upcycling microfibers captured from laundering clothes into carbon material. The microfibers that are used are described by Xeros as microscopic "threads" less than 5mm that separate from textiles during normal wear and laundering.

Through this research, Xeros has found a way to upcycle these textile micro/nanofibres and convert them into clean hydrogen and solid carbon nanomaterials that could benefit multiple industries, like environmental packaging.

“As a chemical and environmental engineer working to devise solutions to reach a circular economy, I was motivated to research whether we could use any of the tools at our disposal to utilize this emerging microfibre waste stream as a valuable feedstock in chemical reactions.”