Comparative Performance of Recycled PET and Commercial Fibres Under Thermal and Mechanical Stress
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31305/rrijm.2025.v10.n6.014Keywords:
Fibre, mechanical strength, thermal resistance, sustainableAbstract
This study This study investigates the mechanical strength and thermal resistance of fibre produced from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles in comparison to commercial fibre. The objective is to assess the potential of recycled PET fibre as a sustainable material under thermal and mechanical stress. Recycled PET fibres were fabricated using a modified cotton candy machine. Beeswax treatment was applied at 60°C, 40°C, and room temperature to evaluate its influence on tensile strength. Observations on stretchability, brittleness, and wax adsorption were recorded to compare the mechanical performance of both fibre types. Thermal resistance testing involved immersing the fibres in silicone oil and subjecting them to progressive heating at 30°C, 60°C, and 80°C. Results showed that commercial fibres retained superior flexibility across all beeswax treatments, while recycled PET fibres became brittle and showed limited stretchability. However, recycled PET exhibited greater thermal stability, withstanding higher temperatures before showing signs of burning, whereas commercial fibre melted at 80°C. These findings suggest that although recycled PET fibre has lower mechanical resilience, it performs better under high temperatures. This makes it a promising candidate for applications requiring heat resistance, such as thermal insulation or packaging. However, mechanical limitations remain and may necessitate further treatment or reinforcement. The study contributes to the advancement of recycled PET in sustainable material development and offers baseline data for future enhancement of recycled fibre products.
References
Abbass, A., Paiva, M. C., Oliveira, D. V., Lourenço, P. B., Fangueiro, R., & Alves, N. M. (2022). The Potential of Beeswax Colloidal Emulsion/Films for Hydrophobization of Natural Fibers Prior to NTRM Manufacturing. Key Engineering Materials, 916, 82–90. https://doi.org/10.4028/p-97q9jn
Aizenshtein, E. M. (2016). Bottle Wastes − to Textile Yarns. Fibre Chemistry, 47(5), 343–347. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10692-016-9691-8
Aneja, S., Kalakoti, S., & Parihar, D. S. (2024). Urgent Need of Plastic Waste Management: A Review. RESEARCH REVIEW International Journal of Multidisciplinary, 9(9), 114–124. https://doi.org/10.31305/rrijm.2024.v09.n09.014
Arese, M., Bolliri, I., Ciaccio, G., & Brunella, V. (2025). Post-Industrial Recycled Polypropylene for Automotive Application: Mechanical Properties After Thermal Ageing. Processes, 13(2), 315. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13020315
Cai, Q., Qin, L., Li, X., Ren, G., Yuan, R., Wang, X., Hu, Z., Ye, C., Zou, Y., Ding, P., & Zhang, H. (2023). Directly converting waste PET into closed-loop biodegradable plastics. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3245152/v1
Dobrosielska, M., Dobrucka, R., Kozera, P., Brząkalski, D., Gabriel, E., Głowacka, J., Jałbrzykowski, M., Kurzydłowski, K. J., & Przekop, R. E. (2023). Beeswax as a natural alternative to synthetic waxes for fabrication of PLA/diatomaceous earth composites. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 1161. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-28435-0
Enache, A.-C., Grecu, I., & Samoila, P. (2024a). Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Recycled by Catalytic Glycolysis: A Bridge toward Circular Economy Principles. Materials, 17(12), 2991. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17122991
Enache, A.-C., Grecu, I., & Samoila, P. (2024b). Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Recycled by Catalytic Glycolysis: A Bridge toward Circular Economy Principles. Materials, 17(12), 2991. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17122991
Nafea, T. H., Chan, F. K. S., Xu, H., Wang, C., Xiao, H., & He, J. (2024). Status of management and mitigation of microplastic pollution. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 54(24), 1734–1756. https://doi.org/10.1080/10643389.2024.2361502
Pourebrahimi, S., & Pirooz, M. (2023). Microplastic pollution in the marine environment: A review. Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances, 10, 100327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hazadv.2023.100327
Santomasi, G., Todaro, F., Petrella, A., Notarnicola, M., & Thoden van Velzen, E. U. (2024). Mechanical Recycling of PET Multi-Layer Post-Consumer Packaging: Effects of Impurity Content. Recycling, 9(5), 93. https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling9050093
Vallejos, J., Montenegro, M., Muñoz, S., & García, J. (2024). Mechanical and Microstructural Properties of Environmentally Friendly Concrete Partially Replacing Aggregates with Recycled Rubber and Recycled PET. Journal of Sustainable Architecture and Civil Engineering, 36(3), 94–110. https://doi.org/10.5755/j01.sace.36.3.33836
Zhang, W., Shen, J., Guo, X., Wang, K., Jia, J., Zhao, J., & Zhang, J. (2024). Comprehensive Investigation into the Impact of Degradation of Recycled Polyethylene and Recycled Polypropylene on the Thermo-Mechanical Characteristics and Thermal Stability of Blends. Molecules, 29(18), 4499. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29184499
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0).