Molded body containing elastane incorporated in cellulose and method for producing same

Abstract

A method for producing a cellulose-containing molded body (102) includes: i) providing a starting material (110) containing cellulose and elastane (78), wherein the elastane in the starting material (110) is present separately from the cellulose and the starting material (110) is solid; and ii) producing a cellulose-containing molded body (102) from the starting material (110) (80), particularly by the lyocell or viscose process, such that the regenerated cellulose molded body (112) contains at least a portion of the elastane from the starting material (110). A portion of the elastane from the starting material (110) is incorporated into the regenerated cellulose molded body (102). Furthermore, the regenerated cellulose molded body (102) containing elastane incorporated into the cellulose is produced according to the lyocell or viscose process. [Figure 1]

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a regenerated cellulose molding and a method for producing the molding.

[0002] The present invention relates to the technical field of reuse, in particular the reuse of cellulose-containing starting materials, more particularly the reuse of these starting materials for producing shaped bodies that also contain cellulose, in particular the reuse of shaped bodies in which the cellulose is substantially present in the form of lyocell and / or viscose fibers. [Background technology]

[0003] Chemical and regenerated fibers produced by the wet spinning process known as the viscose process are referred to as viscose fibers. The starting material for the viscose process is cellulose, which is derived from wood. From this starting material, very pure cellulose is obtained in the form of chemical pulp. In a subsequent process step, the pulp is first treated with caustic soda to form alkali cellulose. Subsequent conversion of the alkali cellulose with carbon disulfide forms xanthate. By adding additional caustic soda, a viscose spinning solution is produced from the xanthate, which is then pumped through the holes of a shower-like spinning nozzle into a spinning bath. In the spinning bath, one viscose filament is produced per spinning nozzle hole by coagulation. The viscose filaments thus produced are then cut into viscose staple fibers.

[0004] Lyocell refers to a type of regenerated fiber containing cellulose and is produced according to the direct solvent method. The cellulose for the Lyocell process is extracted from wood as a raw material. The pulp thus obtained can then be dissolved in the solvent N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO) by dehydration without chemical modification, filtered, and then forced through a spinning nozzle. The filaments thus formed, after passing through an air gap, are precipitated in a bath with an aqueous NMMO solution and then chopped into staple fibers.

[0005] When using materials as raw materials for obtaining cellulose, the purity of the starting material often becomes an issue. The starting material is often contaminated with materials untypical of wood. In particular, for example, current old textiles (used clothing and / or garment manufacturing residues) are heavily contaminated with synthetic plastics. On the one hand, this is because old textiles consist largely of synthetic plastics. However, on the other hand, this is because many old textiles, primarily composed of natural fibers, are now at least partially contaminated with plastics. When processing these recycled materials (textile recycling), various undesirable contaminants, such as the aforementioned synthetic plastics, are generated when the material cycle is closed. These contaminants must be removed during fiber production to ensure that the technical and physical properties are adequately similar to those of unregenerated fibers. Typically, such contaminants, especially polyurethanes, are removed as completely as possible. This requires the removal of the synthetic plastics to obtain cellulose that is as pure as possible. However, the removal of polyurethanes (e.g., elastane from elastic sportswear) is particularly challenging.

[0006] A further problem with using recycled materials, such as old textiles, with respect to the lyocell and / or viscose processes is that the cellulose recovered from old textiles typically has relatively short chain lengths. The recycled fiber then has other properties as the non-regenerated fiber, which are typically undesirable. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] It is an object of the present invention to produce cellulosic products with specific properties in a resource-saving and sustainable manner.

[0008] This object is solved by the subject matter of the independent patent claims. Preferred embodiments result from the dependent patent claims. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a regenerated cellulose molding containing elastane incorporated in cellulose and produced according to the lyocell or viscose process.

[0010] According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for producing a cellulose-containing molded body, the method comprising the steps of: i) providing a starting material containing cellulose and elastane, in particular in which the elastane in the starting material is present separately from the cellulose and the starting material is solid, and ii) producing a cellulose-containing regenerated cellulose molded body from the starting material, in particular by the lyocell or viscose process, so that the regenerated cellulose molded body contains at least part of the elastane of the starting material incorporated into the cellulose, wherein part of the elastane of the starting material is incorporated into the regenerated cellulose molded body.

[0011] In the context of this application, the term "cellulose" may specifically refer to an organic compound that is a component of plant cell walls or that can be synthetically produced. Cellulose is a polysaccharide (i.e., multiple sugars). Cellulose is unbranched and typically contains hundreds up to tens of thousands of β-D-glucose molecules (β-1,4-glycosidic bonds) and cellobiose units, respectively. Cellulose fibers are made from plant-derived cellulose molecules in a controlled manner. Through technological processes, the cellulose molecules can be aggregated to form regenerated fibers, e.g., as fibers that are resistant to tearing.

[0012] In the context of this application, the term "molded body" may particularly refer to a two- or three-dimensional geometric object resulting from the respective processes for the production and recovery of cellulose. In particular, a shaped body refers to a two- or three-dimensional object containing or consisting of cellulose and produced from dissolved pulp. The shaped body may, in particular, be a lyocell shaped body, a viscose shaped body, or a modal shaped body. Typical shaped bodies are filaments, fibers, sponges, and / or films. Essentially, all types of cellulose shaped bodies are suitable for embodiments of the present invention. Both endless filaments and chopped staple fibers with conventional dimensions (e.g., 38 mm long) and short fibers are considered fibers. To produce fibers, both methods with a take-off device downstream of one or more extrusion nozzles and other methods, particularly meltblowing, are possible. As an alternative to fibers, cellulose-containing foils, i.e., planar and substantially uniform films containing or consisting of cellulose, can be produced as shaped bodies. Foils can be produced, in particular, by adjusting the process parameters of the Lyocell process so that solidification occurs at least partially only after the filaments impinge on the receiving surface. Planar cellulose moldings are considered foils, and the thickness of these foils is adjustable (e.g., by selecting several serially arranged nozzle beams). Other embodiments of moldings are tissues and fleeces composed of cellulose filaments and cellulose fibers, respectively, in particular spun fleeces composed of substantially continuous cellulose filaments (“meltblown”) that are integrally bonded (“bonded”). Here, in particular, woven planar structures composed of at least two (preferably perpendicular or nearly perpendicular) intersecting thread (or fiber) systems can be considered tissues, with the longitudinal threads (or fibers) designated as warp threads and the transverse threads (or fibers) designated as weft threads. A fleece or nonwoven fabric can be described as an irregular (e.g., randomly oriented) structure of filaments or fibers or cut yarns with limited length that are bonded and connected to one another (e.g., in a frictionally engaged manner) in a fibrous layer or fibrous web.The shaped body may be produced in the form of a sphere. Cellulose-containing particles, particularly beads (i.e., granules and globules, respectively) or flakes, which can be further processed into this form, may also be provided as a shaped body. Possible cellulose shaped bodies are thus also particle structures such as granules, spherical powders, or fibrids. The formation of the shaped body is preferably carried out by extrusion of a cellulose-containing spinning solution through an extrusion nozzle, since this method allows the production of large quantities of cellulose shaped bodies with a very uniform shape. Other possible cellulose shaped bodies are sponges, or more generally, porous shaped bodies. According to exemplary embodiments, the aforementioned shaped bodies can be used, for example, to produce yarns, fabrics, gels, or composite materials.

[0013] In the context of this application, the term "cellulose source" may particularly denote a medium (especially a solid medium) that provides the cellulose material used for this purpose as the main component for producing cellulose-containing shaped bodies during the corresponding production process. An example is wood and wood pulp, respectively.

[0014] In the context of this application, the term "lyocell process" may specifically refer to a method for producing cellulose according to the direct solvent process. Cellulose for the lyocell process can be obtained from a starting material containing said cellulose. In the lyocell process, the starting material can be dissolved in a suitable solvent (especially containing tertiary amine oxides such as N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO) and / or ionic liquids, i.e., low-melting-point salts composed of cations and anions). Dissolution can be carried out, in particular, by dehydration and / or without chemical modification. The resulting solution, also referred to as a dope or spinning solution, can then be forced through one or more spinning nozzles in the lyocell process. The thereby formed filaments can be precipitated during and / or after free or controlled drop through an air gap in a water-containing bath (especially in a bath using an aqueous NMMO solution) and / or in the air humidity present in the air gap.

[0015] In the context of this application, the term "viscose process" may specifically refer to a process for producing cellulose according to the wet spinning method. Cellulose for the viscose process can be obtained from a starting material containing said cellulose, in particular wood or wood pulp. In a subsequent process step in the viscose process, the starting material can first be treated with a base (e.g., caustic soda), thereby forming alkali cellulose. In subsequent conversion of said alkali cellulose with carbon disulfide, cellulose xanthate is formed. By further adding a base (e.g., caustic soda), a viscose spinning solution can be produced from the cellulose xanthate, which can be forced through one or more spinning nozzles. In the spinning bath, viscose filaments are produced by coagulation.

[0016] In the context of this application, the term "residue from garment manufacturing" may particularly refer to waste and / or offcuts of cellulose-containing or cellulose-based fabrics or yarns, where the residue is generated during the process of manufacturing clothing. In the manufacture of clothing, for example, cellulose-containing textiles are produced as starting material from which flat pieces (e.g., in the form of half T-shirts) are cut. According to an exemplary embodiment, the residue can be retained and re-fed to a process for manufacturing cellulose-containing molded bodies. The residue from garment manufacturing may thereby become a cellulose-containing or cellulose-based starting material and can be used to recover cellulose before the consumer uses the residue as clothing or in another way. In particular, the residue from garment manufacturing may consist of substantially pure cellulose, in particular without any separate and non-cellulose-containing foreign matter (e.g., as buttons, textile prints, or seams).

[0017] In the context of this application, the term "used clothing" may refer to clothing that contains cellulose and has already been used (especially worn) by a user when at least a portion of the cellulose is recovered. Used clothing may (but need not) contain a significant amount of foreign matter and may be a cellulose-containing starting material that can be used to recover cellulose after the user has used the used clothing as clothing or in any other way. In particular, used clothing may be composed of a mixture of cellulose and one or more foreign substances (e.g., synthetic plastics (e.g., polyester and / or elastane)) and / or discrete, non-cellulose-containing foreign substances (such as buttons, textile prints, or seams) (e.g., often used in clothing). Polyester may particularly refer to polymers with ester functions in the main chain (R-[-CO-O-]-R). Polycarbonate and polyethylene terephthalate belong to the polyester family. Elastane may particularly refer to stretchable synthetic fibers with high elasticity. The block copolymer underlying elastane may contain 85% by weight of polyurethane.

[0018] In the context of this application, the term "synthetic plastic" specifically refers to materials composed of macromolecules and synthetically produced. Each macromolecule of a plastic is a polymer, thereby composed of basic units (repeating units). The size of the macromolecule of a polymer can vary from several thousand to over a million basic units. For example, the polymer polyethylene (PE) consists of multiple repeating ethylene units linked to each other. Here, the polymer can be unbranched, branched, or crosslinked. Regarding their physical properties, plastics can be divided into three basic groups: thermoplastics, duroplastics, and elastomers. Furthermore, these properties can be combined in subgroups, such as thermoplastic elastomers. Important characteristics of plastics are technical properties such as moldability, strength, elasticity, fracture toughness, temperature resistance, thermal dimensional stability, and chemical resistance, which can be varied within wide limits by the choice of polymer, the manufacturing method, and, typically, the addition of additives. Typical reactions for producing synthetic plastics from monomers or prepolymers are chain polymerization, polyaddition, or polycondensation. Examples of synthetic plastics that are also used in particular in textiles are, for example, polyurethanes (PUR), polyesters (PE, e.g. polyethylene terephthalate (PET)), polyamides (PA, e.g. nylon, Perlon), and polyethers, especially polyethylene glycol (PEG), as a component of elastane.

[0019] In the context of this application, the term "elastane" may specifically refer to a synthetic plastic with thermoplastic and elastic properties. Elastane may thereby be referred to as a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). Elastane may exist as a block copolymer specifically characterized by both blocks: polyurethane (PUR) and polyethylene glycol ether (PEG). Here, PUR segments may form rigid cross sections alternating with soft and elastic PEG cross sections. The PUR may form rigid, elongated cross sections that adhere to each other longitudinally and allow, for example, fiber adhesion through the formation of subvalent forces. In contrast, rubber-like PEG blocks (e.g., about 40 to 50 monomer units each) may exist in a highly entangled manner, but they may also be elongated. Here, elastane may exist as a spiral structure with very high elongation (multiples of 100%, e.g., 700%). The density may be, for example, 1.1 g / cm. 3 to 1.3 g / cm 3 and the strength may be, for example, 5 cN / tex to 12 cN / tex. The elasticity may be temperature dependent. Furthermore, the term "elastane" may refer to both elastane itself and related thermoplastic elastomers (e.g., ellastolan, desmopan, texin, utechlan).

[0020] In the context of this application, the term "separately present" may specifically refer to a substance that is not incorporated into another substance. For example, cellulose fibers may be present in the starting material and elastane may also be present in the starting material. Here, the elastane may be incorporated into the cellulose fibers. Furthermore, the elastane may be present separately from the cellulose fibers. In this case, the elastane is a component of the starting material but is not incorporated into the cellulose fibers.

[0021] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, it has surprisingly been found that by targeted control of the residual concentration in the context of reuse (including the recycling process and the treatment of the starting material, respectively), new properties can be achieved in the (lyocell) molded body produced and its subsequent textile products, respectively. This functionalization achieved in this way of residual components from the starting material based on a thermoplastic elastomer, such as elastane, surprisingly allows for effective compensation of (negative) property changes that may arise in particular from the portion of regenerated cellulose fibers in the (lyocell) molded body produced.

[0022] In particular, a compensation of strength values ​​can be achieved by a targeted proportion of residual polymers, especially elastane, but strength values ​​have so far been significantly reduced by mixing in regenerated (short-chain) cellulose. Possibly, strength can be increased by a higher proportion of elastane and decreased by a higher proportion of regenerated cellulose.

[0023] Surprisingly, elastane does not exhibit any incompatibility in the Lyocell or viscose processes, even at unusually high concentrations. In contrast, interaction with cellulose may result in a high affinity of the hydrophilic PEG segments of elastane with the hydrophilic hydroxyl and ether structures of cellulose. This affinity is enhanced by the strong tendency to form hydrogen bonds between the two polymers. Thus, elastane, although incorporated into cellulose fibers, does not exhibit incompatibility. Therefore, elastane incorporated into cellulose fibers can contribute to the functionalization of the resulting molded articles. Such functionalization of residual plastic components, especially in the Lyocell or viscose processes, has not been previously known. Therefore, the extensibility and elasticity of molded articles, especially fibers, can be increased by incorporating elastane.

[0024] According to one embodiment, elastane is processable and does not have to be separated costly and laboriously, but can be processed without further effort (for example in the lyocell / viscose process) and incorporated into fibers, where the plastic does not give rise to negative properties and even better fiber elongation and elasticity, respectively.

[0025] In summary, the situation is used in which the actually undesirable components of solid starting materials such as synthetic plastics, especially elastane, do not have to be painstakingly depleted in the context of cellulose recycling, but may even additionally provide positive properties and corresponding advantages, such as improved elongation and elasticity, respectively.

[0026] Additional embodiments of the compact and method are described below.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the regenerated cellulose molding comprises at least 0.01%, in particular at least 0.1%, more particularly 1% polyurethane, of which at least 10% is elastane, which has the advantage that the polyurethane does not have to be depleted in a particularly clean manner, which in fact can be technically difficult.

[0028] On the contrary, the polyurethane can remain in the starting material, whereby a laborious and expensive depletion process is no longer necessary. The fact that at least a portion of the polyurethane is allocated to elastane can even achieve further advantages, such as, for example, improved elongation, elasticity, or strength values ​​of the produced fibers.

[0029] According to a further embodiment, the regenerated cellulose molding contains 0.1% to 5% elastane, which has the advantage that the negative strength loss that would otherwise be unavoidable when reusing cellulose fibers can be compensated for particularly efficiently.

[0030] Surprisingly, it has been found that up to an elastane content of about 5% in the (lyocell) moulded body (e.g. fibre), no significant change in the (fibre) properties can be detected. On the contrary, the desired elongation, elasticity and strength values ​​can actually be improved.

[0031] According to a further embodiment, the regenerated cellulose molding further contains at least one additional synthetic plastic, particularly less than 2%, from the group consisting of polyesters, polyamides, polyurethanes, and polyethers. This has the advantage that the technically difficult and costly loss of the additional plastic is at least partially eliminated. In fact, the presence of at least one additional synthetic plastic may even advantageously influence and control the properties of the produced fibers. A content of less than 2% may be particularly advantageous to ensure good incorporation of the additional synthetic plastic into the cellulose fibers.

[0032] According to a further embodiment, at least a portion of the further synthetic plastic has at least one compatibility, which is at least one of the group consisting of ester compatibility, amide compatibility and ether compatibility, which has the advantage that the at least one further synthetic plastic (e.g. one or more typical fiber polymers, in particular fiber polyesters) can be used directly and efficiently incorporated into starting materials such as textiles.

[0033] Compatibility can particularly refer to two chemical groups (functional groups) that are compatible with each other.For example, there is a high affinity between the hydrophilic PEG segment of elastane and the hydrophilic hydroxyl and ether structures of cellulose.In this case, elastane has cellulose compatibility, and cellulose has ether compatibility.Compatibility can also be described as the incorporation of chemical groups between themselves.

[0034] To obtain a good incorporation, only a small portion (e.g., less than 2%) of the polyamides and polyesters can be processed in the recycling process. This is a significant advantage, since at least partial removal of additional synthetic polymers in the recycling process can be disproportionately difficult. The aforementioned additional synthetic plastics can very frequently and commonly be contained in starting materials such as textiles. Therefore, the tolerance of small residual amounts is a major advantage for the recycling process.

[0035] Without being bound by any particular theory, the good incorporation behavior of the additional synthetic plastics can be explained by the compatibility between elastane, cellulose, and the additional synthetic plastics, such as polyamides or polyesters. Here, the polyurethane (PUR) moiety of elastane is of particular interest, since PUR can simultaneously function as both a polyester and a polyamide. The repeating unit of PUR can be described as R1-NH-CO-O-R2, and therefore contains ester bonds (CO-O-R2) and amide bonds (R1-NH-CO). As already explained above, the PEG moiety in elastane contributes to its good compatibility with the ether bonds of the cellulose glycans due to its typical ether structure. Therefore, good homogenization / mixing between the substances occurs. According to one embodiment, the corresponding incorporation process may also be highly dependent on the temperature of the respective process. The described compatibility may also apply, for example, to the embodiments described below.

[0036] The amide compatibility of elastane may allow for the incorporation of typical fiber polyamides (eg, PA6, PA6.6, or PA6.10) from the starting material as a textile.

[0037] Additionally, the ester compatibility of elastane may allow for the incorporation of typical fiber polyesters (e.g., PET) from the starting material as a textile.

[0038] The ether structure of elastane can lead to a high degree of homogenization and therefore a good mixture in the spinning solution before the spinning step in the Lyocell or viscose process. Even in a chemical context, the compatibility of the ether structure of elastane is very similar to that of cellulose.

[0039] According to a further embodiment, the additional synthetic plastic is at least partially incorporated into the cellulose. This has the advantage that, together with the elastane, the additional synthetic plastic can also act directly within the fiber to favorably influence the fiber properties. In this way, for example, the strength of the fiber can be increased. Furthermore, when the additional synthetic plastic also acts like a melting adhesive, the fibrillation effect can be reduced. Fibrillation can particularly represent a local separation of fibril elements longitudinal to the fiber axis, especially when mechanical and humidity simultaneously act on the fiber.

[0040] According to a further embodiment, the regenerated cellulose molding has at least one of the characteristics described below.

[0041] The regenerated cellulose shaped body is selected from the group comprising filaments, fibers, foils, tissues, fleeces, (micro)spheres, beads, and sponges.

[0042] The regenerated cellulose moldings have a fiber extensibility that is at least 10%, in particular at least 20%, higher than that of conventional lyocell fibers.It has been found that the fiber extensibility of the regenerated cellulose moldings can be increased by up to 20% (depending on the amount of elastane) compared to standard lyocell fibers.

[0043] The regenerated cellulose molding has the strength values ​​of conventional lyocell fibers. Average fiber data for conventional lyocell fibers (e.g., Tencel®) can be as follows: maximum positive tension (FFk): 40.2 cN / dtex, maximum wet tension (FFn): 37.5 cN / dtex, maximum positive tension elongation (FDk): 13.0%, maximum wet tension elongation (FDn): 18.4% (see Lenzinger Berichte 87 (2009) 98-105, Table 1). Thus, the maximum tension (FFk) can be in the range of 35 cN / dtex to 45 cN / dtex, in particular 38 cN / dtex to 42 cN / dtex, and the maximum wet tension (FFn) can be in the range of 32 cN / dtex to 42 cN / dtex, in particular 35 cN / dtex to 40 cN / dtex. The maximum tensile extension (FDk) may be in the range of 10% to 15% and the maximum wet tension (FDn) may be in the range of 16% to 20%.

[0044] According to one embodiment, the synthetic plastic (elastane, optionally with additional portions of, for example, PET, PUR, and PA) fraction may be present in a specific concentration. This can lead to a particularly uniform distribution in the spinning solution, such that during the spinning process, the plastic is incorporated in a uniform and finely distributed manner into the (lyocell) moldings produced. In this way, the specific fiber properties can be controlled and influenced accordingly.

[0045] The regenerated cellulose moldings further have a reduced tendency to fibrillate compared to conventional Lyocell fibers. The surprisingly low tendency to fibrillate achieved in this way can be explained by the fact that the incorporated residual plastics, such as elastane, support the stirring of single crystalline cellulose strains in the sense of separating the (at least partially amorphous) sliding layers and also control the adhesion between the cellulose strains in the transverse direction. This can result in a corresponding suppression of the delamination typical of fibrillation.

[0046] According to a further embodiment, the regenerated cellulose molding contains at least 0.1% of synthetic plastic derived from the starting material. This has the advantage that the molding can be produced in a particularly resource-saving manner. The synthetic plastic in the molding can be derived entirely or at least partially from the starting material. Therefore, the addition of additional plastic is essentially unnecessary. Furthermore, the laborious loss of plastic from the starting material can be at least partially eliminated.

[0047] According to a further embodiment, the starting material may comprise, in whole or in part, garment manufacturing residues and / or used clothing (e.g., blended textiles). That is, textiles, particularly garment manufacturing residues and / or used clothing, may be used as at least a portion of the starting material. The use of garment manufacturing residues is particularly preferred, since such offcuts and waste often have a very high cellulose content and therefore a high degree of purity, respectively. In particular, such pre-consumer textiles may be free of foreign matter such as buttons, seams, or textile prints. For example, garment manufacturing residues may substantially contain knitted (and optionally dyed) cellulose, so that such residues can be directly transferred into a solution for cellulose recovery by the Lyocell process, if desired. In used clothing or post-consumer textiles, large foreign matter such as buttons, prints, and seams may already be separated during or after mechanical comminution. Residues or other foreign matter from used clothing, such as colorants and synthetic plastics (such as polyester and elastane), may be completely or partially removed before dissolving the corresponding starting materials to form the dope and spinning solution, respectively, or may remain completely or partially in the spinning solution.

[0048] According to a further embodiment, the method further comprises: i) dissolving the starting materials in a solvent, in particular N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO), by the direct dissolution method to obtain a spinning solution, and ii) extruding the spinning solution through a spinning nozzle, in particular at temperatures below 150° C., so as to allow at least partial incorporation of the synthetic plastic, in particular elastane, into cellulose. This has the advantage that a proven and established process can be directly applied to achieve a particularly effective incorporation of the synthetic plastic into cellulose.

[0049] In principle, plastics can be used to enhance strength in fibers. However, temperatures of at least 250°C are required to melt plastics, especially thermoplastics. However, in the context of the Lyocell or viscose process, longitudinal mechanical stretching and associated very strong distortion occur during extrusion of the spinning solution through the spinning nozzle opening. The large longitudinal orientation caused by the spinning process can also be transferred to elastane and other synthetic plastics present in the spinning solution. Therefore, the stretched portions, especially the PEG portion of elastane, serve as a good base material for embedding cellulose, which is also present in the spinning solution and precipitates essentially simultaneously with the synthetic plastics. In this way, plastics in fibers can be efficiently incorporated at temperatures below 150°C (the temperature in the Lyocell process). Here, synthetic plastics, especially elastane, are processable and do not need to be separated using expensive / laborious methods, but can be co-processed and incorporated into fibers without further effort in the Lyocell process. There, the plastic does not result in negative properties and even leads to better fiber elongation and elasticity, respectively.

[0050] Controlled processing of the starting materials can ensure that additional synthetic plastics, such as PUR, PA, PET, PE, etc., remain in the appropriate concentration in the Lyocell or Viscose process. Correspondingly, the plastic fraction present in the spinning solution in the appropriate concentration can behave similarly to the thermoplastics of the composite fiber.

[0051] In the higher temperature range, when a corresponding amount of elastane is present in the cellulose fibers, the thermoplastic effect of elastane is simultaneously available, which, metaphorically, leads to a specific and controllable adhesive property in the interior of the fibers, which can be correspondingly used for the thermoplastic adhesive effect.

[0052] According to a further embodiment, the method further comprises the step of supplying the spinning solution with at least one substance from the group consisting of cellulose fibers, foreign matter, hemicellulose, pulp, and cellulose fibers with a short chain length, which has the advantage that the properties of the produced shaped bodies can be controlled and influenced in a targeted manner, respectively.

[0053] In the context of the Lyocell process, cellulose-reinforced Lyocell fibers can be produced due to the fact that in addition to saturation with cellulose in the NMMO-water mixture, additional excess cellulose fibers remain in the spinning solution and are co-spun. This can result in an additional strength increase of the resulting Lyocell fibers due to the effect of "fiber reinforcement in the fiber." This may also make it possible to compensate for the additional strength-reducing effect caused by the starting material, such as textiles. In this way, for example i) Foreign components already present as fibers in old textiles, which are hardly soluble in NMMO, can also be used; ii) additional strength-reducing sugars such as hemicellulose may be attached; and iii) Cellulose fiber fractions with short chain lengths can be used in larger amounts.

[0054] Thereby, foreign fibers and foreign bodies can also be bound in the lyocell fiber, but they do not have reinforcing properties, but rather reduce strength.

[0055] Typically, for example, a shorter chain length leads to a reduction in strength. Due to the aforementioned compensation with elastane and any additional synthetic plastics, a strength similar to that of non-regenerated cellulose fibers can thus be achieved again, despite the high proportion of short-chain cellulose. In particular, multiple passes through the material cycle generally result in a reduction in chain length. Due to external influences (sun, washing, aging, chemicals) in the context of the previous production-use-disposal cycle, the individual cellulose chains are broken down, which can typically lead to shorter chain lengths in the resulting molded bodies.

[0056] The term "hemicellulose" may be a generic term for a mixture of polysaccharides (multiple sugars) occurring in particular in plant biomass in different compositions. The most common monomers (monosaccharides, simple sugars) may be represented by pentoses, such as xylose and mannose.

[0057] According to a further embodiment, the starting material contains at least one additional synthetic plastic from the group consisting of polyester, polyamide, polyurethane, and polyether. This has the advantage that the technically difficult and expensive loss of the additional plastic is at least partially eliminated. In fact, the presence of at least one additional synthetic plastic may even advantageously influence and control the properties of the produced fiber.

[0058] According to a further embodiment, the method further comprises at least partially retaining a first additional synthetic plastic, in particular one of the group consisting of polyesters, polyamides, and polyethers, of the starting material for producing the regenerated cellulose molding, so that the first additional synthetic plastic is substantially contained in the cellulose-containing molding. This also has the advantage that the technically difficult and expensive loss of the additional plastic is at least partially eliminated. In fact, the presence of at least one additional synthetic plastic may even advantageously influence and control the properties of the produced fiber, respectively.

[0059] Additionally or alternatively, the method further comprises removing, particularly completely removing, and more particularly selectively removing (selectively depleting) a second additional synthetic plastic, particularly one of the group consisting of polyesters, polyamides, and polyethers, from the starting material so that the second additional synthetic plastic is substantially absent from the cellulose-containing regenerated cellulose molding. This has the advantage that the desired portion of plastic, e.g., PET and PUR, can be adjusted in a particularly appropriate (targeted) manner. The first and second additional synthetic plastics may be the same. The first and second additional synthetic plastics may also be different.

[0060] The correspondingly produced regenerated (lyocell) moldings may have properties very similar to those of non-regenerated cellulose fibers. In particular, by adding additional regenerated lyocell tissue, the properties may become even closer to those of non-regenerated lyocell fibers, to the extent that the differences can barely be detected by measurement.

[0061] According to a further embodiment, the method further comprises the steps of: i) providing at least one further starting material containing cellulose and at least one synthetic plastic, in particular a synthetic plastic from the group consisting of elastane, polyester, polyamide, polyether, and polyurethane, wherein the proportions of the synthetic plastic in the starting material and the further starting material are different; and ii) producing a regenerated cellulose molded body from the starting material and the further starting material such that the regenerated cellulose molded body has at least one predetermined property. This has the advantage that the desired proportion of the synthetic plastic can be adjusted and influenced accordingly, respectively, substantially without the use of chemical methods.

[0062] In a preferred embodiment, the residual amount of synthetic plastics in the starting materials is adjusted to a specific amount. The regenerated cellulose moldings produced after adding the specific starting materials can then have the desired plastic concentration and composition, respectively, and corresponding specific chemical / physical properties, which can correspond to the properties of non-regenerated lyocell fibers.

[0063] In particular, by mixing different compositions of starting materials such as used clothing and / or residues from clothing production, specific properties, such as the concentration of elastane and optionally at least one further synthetic plastic, can be adjusted and thus the subsequent use and / or functionalization can be specifically controlled.

[0064] In a further preferred embodiment, different starting materials with different compositions are mixed so that the desired fraction of different plastics is prepared. This reduced / no chemistry embodiment (achieved only by mixing of starting materials) may be considered particularly advantageous in terms of resource consumption and environmental protection aspects.

[0065] According to one embodiment, the method may include a post-treatment of the precipitated cellulose to obtain a molded body from the molded body preform. Such optional post-treatment may include, for example, drying, impregnation, and / or reforming of the obtained cellulose filaments. Corresponding post-treatments make it possible to complete the molded body production at the end of the Lyocell process in an application-specific manner.

[0066] According to one embodiment, the fibers of the starting material and / or the fibers of the shaped body may have a smooth, rounded outer surface. As illustrated in Figure 3, the cellulose fibers extracted by the Lyocell process are characterized by such a shape and therefore differ from the shapes of other fibers that occur in natural cotton or are obtained by the viscose process.

[0067] Molded articles produced according to the present invention can be used as packaging materials, textile materials, woven composites, fiber composites, fiber fleeces, needle felts, quilting batting, thin woven fabrics, knitted fabrics, household textiles such as bedding, clothing, hospital textiles such as fillers, flocking materials, underlays, diapers, or mattresses, heating blankets, shoe insoles, and fabrics for wound dressings. Embodiments of the present invention can be applied in various technical fields, both in medicine and in cosmetics and health. In medicine, for example, materials for wound treatment and healing may consist of a carrier that defines mechanical properties and a biocompatible covering material that specifically matches the surface of the skin and wound. Many other applications are possible. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0068] In the following, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the following figures:

[0069] [Figure 1] 1 shows a flow diagram of a method for producing a regenerated cellulose molded body according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0070] [Figure 2] 1 shows an apparatus for producing regenerated cellulose moldings by the Lyocell process according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0071] [Figure 3] 1 shows cellulose fibers produced by the Lyocell process.

[0072] [Figure 4] 1 shows cellulose fibers produced by the viscose process.

[0073] [Figure 5] Shows the natural cellulose fibers of the cotton plant.

[0074] The same or similar components in different figures are provided with the same reference numbers.

[0075] Before the exemplary embodiments are described with reference to the figures, some basic considerations based on which the exemplary embodiments of the present invention are derived will be summarized. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0076] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, residual polymers from the starting material are used as adhesion promoters between cellulose fibers or as thermoplastic property promoters within the lyocell molded body. They remain substantially inert until the completion of a specific stage in the production process. In particular, post-thermal reinforcement of the fabric (similar to molten adhesives) can be achieved thereby (e.g., no-ironing shirts, pleating, etc.). To produce fabrics with high dimensional stability (e.g., no-ironing) properties, laborious methods are typically used. For example, this may be a combination of very laborious chemical methods, such as treatment with liquid ammonia rubber. This allows the shirt to look new for a long time. So-called "wet cross-linking" is also possible, in which elastic cross-links are formed between the molecules of cotton cellulose. These cross-links allow the fabric to return to its correct shape after washing. However, wet cross-linking with "synthetic resins" requires a very precise operating mode.

[0077] According to one embodiment, a specific thermoplasticity in the lyocell fiber can be obtained by targeted control of the portion of residual polymer (e.g. polyurethane from elastane from old textiles), which, according to one embodiment of the present invention, is resupplied via the lyocell process by returning a corresponding portion of the residual polymer from the starting material to the lyocell molding via a depletion process.

[0078] According to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the thermoplastic properties of residual polyurethanes, in particular thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs), are utilized. The different properties known from this group of substances, regarding hard and soft phases and their different degrees of crystallization, can be used as an additional factor to influence the functionalization of the residual plastics by controlling the processing time and temperature (and therefore the exposure time and temperature of the spinning solution). The following properties can be combined: i) The highly crystalline yet transparent nature of TPU complements each other in terms of application areas, making the material versatile and versatile; ii) On the one hand, the soft layer, which is connected to methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), consists of a polyester diol with a molecular weight between 1,000 g / mol and 2,000 g / mol based on adipic acid, or pure polycaprolactone. On the other hand, polyether diols composed of tetrahydrofuran or C2, C3 glycols are possible. The appropriate soft layer can be determined depending on the application. Two important aspects are the sensitivity of ether TPUs to oxidation and the sensitivity of ester TPUs to hydrolysis.

[0079] From organic chemistry, the reaction of ethers with oxygen to hydroperoxides and alcohols is known, which in the case of polymers leads to chain scission and thus to a decrease in molecular weight. This makes it necessary to stabilize polyether types with corresponding aging protectants (e.g., hindered phenols) in order to adequately increase their service life. When comparing ether and ester TPUs over time by air aging at 100°C, the better resistance of polyesters becomes very clear. Here, the decrease in tension over storage time was measured.

[0080] In contrast, ether TPUs are characterized by good resistance to hydrolysis and microbial degradation. Therefore, extreme outdoor applications are a suitable application profile for polyether types. In the presence of high light exposure, ether TPUs can also be stabilized against damage by UV rays.

[0081] Based on the above, it is possible to advance in the area of ​​soft TPU without using softeners. Until now, this has not been successfully implemented because, due to the reduction in the hard phase fraction, the TPU not only becomes softer but also more plastic, and it takes too long to recrystallize after thermoplastic processing, making it impossible to produce finished parts within an acceptable timeframe. Furthermore, an additional effect is observed: the slow crystallization of short hard phase blocks. That is, if the hard phase fraction is significantly reduced, the crystalline blocks also become significantly shorter. This reduces not only the melting temperature but also the recrystallization. This slow crystallization also results in a gradual post-hardening of the material after processing.

[0082] Since the corresponding detailed material parameters for the delivered starting material of unknown origin are often unknown, a generalization can be found for the main fraction of recycled PUR that leads to the desired material properties by dynamic adaptation of the described process parameters (time and temperature) in the spinning solution. Alternatively, process stability can be achieved (even dynamic adaptation in the context of a continuous process, if required) for the various variables of PUR in the raw recycled material by corresponding fraction variations, without compromising the material parameters of the resulting Lyocell molding.

[0083] FIG. 1 shows a flow diagram 50 of a method for producing a regenerated cellulose molded body 102 (compare FIG. 2) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0084] The starting material 110 (compare FIG. 2) contains cellulose and elastane, optionally further synthetic plastics, and is present in the form of used clothing and / or residues from clothing manufacturing.

[0085] The starting material 110 so produced can be used by a consumer, for example as a garment, in the case of post-consumer clothing, as illustrated by block 60. When the consumer discards the garment, the garment can be used as post-consumer starting material 110 for a subsequent lyocell process or a viscose process, the latter of which is described in more detail below.

[0086] Alternatively, or additionally, it is possible to use pre-consumer starting materials 110 containing cellulose, such as scrap offcuts from clothing manufacturing.

[0087] In the following, it is explained how, according to one embodiment of the present invention, a shaped body 102 made of cellulose can be produced on the basis of a starting material 110 which contains at least part of cellulose. For this purpose, the starting material 110 is fed into an apparatus 100 (see FIG. 2) for carrying out the Lyocell process. Compare reference number 78.

[0088] There, mechanical comminution 62 of the starting material 110 is first carried out by cutting, so that mainly large non-cellulosic impurities, such as buttons, seams, and prints from old clothes that were at least partly used to produce the starting material 110, can be removed from the starting material 110. By mechanical comminution 62, the starting material 110 can be separated, for example, into single fibers.

[0089] It is also possible to use the cellulose-containing starting material 110 together with other cellulose-containing materials for the subsequent lyocell process (see block 64). The starting material 110 can then be mixed with a further starting material containing cellulose and at least one synthetic plastic (see block 64). This further starting material contains a synthetic plastic fraction, but the synthetic plastic fraction is different from the synthetic plastic fraction in the starting material 110. Producing a regenerated cellulose body can then be performed based on the starting material 110 and the further starting material, such that the regenerated cellulose body 102 contains a predetermined fraction of synthetic plastic. Alternatively or additionally, the further starting material can include residues from clothing production.

[0090] Direct dissolution 68 of the starting material 110 (pure and mixed, respectively) in a further solvent 116 (e.g., a tertiary amine oxide, such as N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO)) immediately after mechanical comminution 62 and immediately after mixing 64, respectively, can be carried out in an advantageous manner without chemical pretreatment. More specifically, the mechanically comminuted (and optionally mixed) starting material 110 can be directly transferred into the solution, in particular without chemical washing and viscosity adjustment. In this way, the production method and the recycling method, respectively, can be carried out in an exceptionally simple, rapid, and environmentally friendly manner. Surprisingly, it has been found that after mechanical comminution 62, elastane as a residual foreign substance in the starting material 110 (but also additional synthetic plastics) does not interfere with the lyocell process and does not negatively affect the quality of the recovered lyocell cellulose. In contrast, a certain amount of elastane remains in the produced cellulose fibers without impairing the properties of the cellulose fibers and may even improve them. Certain amounts of residual polyester do not interfere with the resulting product.

[0091] Alternatively, the method may optionally include chemical washing 66 of the starting material 110 after mechanical comminution 62 (or after mixing 64) and before dissolving 68. Such optional washing 66 may include at least partial removal of dyes by bleaching. Thus, it is possible to fully or partially decolorize the starting material 110 before the subsequent dissolving step 68 of the starting material 110 in a solvent 116, for example, to produce a white or gray molded body 102. Alternatively, or additionally, in the context of optional chemical washing 66, the starting material 110 (before or after the dissolving step 68 of the starting material 110) is at least partially freed of crosslinking agents crosslinking the fibers of the starting material 110. In applications where such crosslinking agents are present between the fibers of the starting material 110, the starting material 110 may be fully or partially freed of the crosslinking agents, for example, by alkaline or acidic pretreatment. This additionally improves the solubility of the starting material 110. If desired, washing 66 may optionally remove at least a portion of synthetic plastics. For example, in this way the synthetic plastic parts of the molded body 102 produced can be adjusted and influenced respectively.

[0092] After step 68 of dissolving the starting material 110 in a solvent (preferably NMMO), the resulting lyocell spinning solution 104 may be forced through one or more spinning nozzles, thereby producing threads and filaments, respectively, having a honey-like viscosity (see block 70 for this spinning).

[0093] During and / or after the dropping of these yarns and filaments, respectively, they are operatively connected to an aqueous environment and thus diluted. The concentration of the solvent 116 in the yarns and filaments, respectively, is thereby reduced in the aqueous fog and aqueous bath, respectively, to the extent that the lyocell spinning solution transitions to a solid phase composed of cellulose filaments. That is, precipitation, deposition, or solidification of the cellulose filaments occurs. See reference numeral 72. Thus, a preform of the compact 102 is obtained.

[0094] The step 80 of producing a regenerated body 102 containing cellulose and elastane incorporated in the cellulose by the Lyocell process, in particular the dissolving step 68, the spinning step 70 and then the precipitation step 72, is thus carried out on the basis of a starting material 110 which itself contains cellulose and elastane.

[0095] Furthermore, the method may include post-treatment 74 of the precipitated lyocell cellulose to obtain the molded body 102 from the preform of the molded body 110. Such post-treatment may include, for example, drying, impregnation, and / or reforming of the obtained filaments towards the final molded body 102. For example, the molded body 102 may be processed into fibers, foils, tissues, fleeces, spheres, porous sponges, or beads by the described manufacturing methods, and then supplied for further use (see reference numeral 76).

[0096] Advantageously, after use of the molded body 102, the cellulose and elastane of the molded body 102 can be recovered again (see block 80) by carrying out a further method corresponding to the process steps between reference numerals 78 and 74. Alternatively, the cellulose, elastane and any further synthetic plastics of the molded body 102 can be recovered in a further method (see also block 80), for example in a viscose process. This multiple repeatability of reuse by repeated process steps is made possible by the knowledge that the recycling of elastane-containing cellulose starting material surprisingly allows for an appropriate improvement of fiber properties, in particular strength.

[0097] FIG. 2 shows an apparatus 100 for producing a regenerated cellulose molding 102 by the Lyocell method based on a starting material containing cellulose and elastane according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention described with reference to FIG. 1.

[0098] 2 shows an apparatus 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention for producing cellulose-containing shaped bodies 102, which can be produced, for example, in the form of fibers, foils, spheres, textiles, fleeces (nonwoven fabrics) such as sponges, or in the form of beads or flakes. According to FIG. 2, the shaped bodies 102 are produced directly from a spinning solution 104. The spinning solution 104 is converted into cellulose fibers 108 as the shaped bodies 102 by a coagulation fluid 106 (particularly composed of air moisture) and / or a coagulation bath 191 (e.g., a water bath optionally containing a tertiary amine oxide such as N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO)). The apparatus 100 can be used to carry out the Lyocell process. In this way, for example, substantially endless filaments or fibers 108, or a mixture 108 of substantially endless filaments and fibers with individual lengths, can be produced as the shaped bodies 102. A plurality of nozzles, each having one or more openings 126 (sometimes referred to as spin holes), are provided for discharging the lyocell spinning solution 104 .

[0099] As can be seen from FIG. 2, the cellulose-based starting material 110 can be fed into a storage tank 114 via a dosing device 113 .

[0100] According to one embodiment, the ingress of water into the cellulose-based starting material 110 may be caused by the solvent 116 (particularly NMMO), as will be described in more detail below. Furthermore, the cellulose-based starting material 110 itself may contain a certain residual moisture (e.g., dry pulp often has a residual moisture of 5 to 8 percent by weight). In particular, according to the described embodiment, the starting material 110 may be directly fed into the mixture of water and solvent 116 without pre-wetting. The optional water container 112 shown in FIG. 2 may then be omitted.

[0101] According to an alternative embodiment, the cellulose-containing starting material 110 may additionally be moistened, thus providing moist cellulose. To this end, water from an optional water container 112 may be supplied to the storage tank 114 via a dosing device 113. The dosing device 113, controlled by the control device 140, may thus supply adjustable relative amounts of water and starting material 110 to the storage tank 114.

[0102] A suitable solvent 116, preferably an aqueous mixture of a tertiary amine oxide such as N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO) and the solvent 116, e.g., a 76% aqueous solution of NMMO, is contained in a solvent container. The concentration of the solvent 116 can be adjusted in a concentrator 118 by adding either pure solvent or water. The solvent 116 is then mixed with a definable relative amount of starting material 110 in a mixing section 119, which can also be controlled by a control section 140. The cellulose-containing starting material 110 is thereby dissolved in an adjustable relative amount of concentrated solvent 116 in a dissolving section 120, thereby obtaining a lyocell spinning solution 104. The relative concentration ranges (also referred to as spinning windows) of the starting material 110, water, and solvent 116, which are components in the spinning solution 104 for producing regenerated cellulose bodies according to the lyocell process, can be appropriately adjusted, as known to those skilled in the art.

[0103] The lyocell spinning solution 104 is fed into a fiber-producing device 124, which may consist of several spinning beams or jets 122.

[0104] As the lyocell spinning solution 104 is directed through the opening 126 of the jet 122, the lyocell spinning solution 104 separates into a plurality of parallel threads comprised of the lyocell spinning solution 104. The described process flow converts the lyocell spinning solution 104 into increasingly longer and thinner threads whose properties can be adjusted by corresponding adjustments of the process conditions controlled by the controller 140. Optionally, a gas flow can accelerate the lyocell spinning solution 104 on its way from the opening 126 to the fiber receiver 132.

[0105] After the lyocell spinning solution 104 travels further downward through the jet 122 , the long, thin strands of the lyocell spinning solution 104 interact with the coagulating fluid 106 .

[0106] Upon interaction with the coagulating fluid 106 (e.g., water), the solvent concentration of the lyocell spinning solution 104 is reduced, resulting in the cellulose of the starting material 110 at least partially coagulating and precipitating, respectively, as long and thin cellulose fibers 108 (which may still contain solvent and water residues).

[0107] During or after the initial formation of individual cellulose fibers 108 from the extruded lyocell spinning solution 104, the cellulose fibers 108 are received in a fiber receiver 132. The cellulose fibers 108 may be immersed in a coagulation bath 191 (e.g., a water bath optionally containing a solvent such as NMMO) as shown in FIG. 2 and may complete precipitation upon interaction with the liquid of the coagulation bath 191. Depending on the coagulation process settings, the cellulose may form cellulose fibers 108 (as shown, where the cellulose fibers 108 may each be composed of a single substance and integrally bonded to each other (“bonded”), or may exist as separate cellulose fibers 108), or a foil and membrane composed of cellulose may form in the fiber receiver 132, respectively (not shown in FIG. 2).

[0108] The cellulose fibers 108 are thereby extruded from the spinning nozzles of the jet 122 and guided through a spinning bath and a coagulation bath 191 (e.g., containing water and a low concentration of NMMO for precipitation / coagulation), respectively, where the cellulose fibers 108 are guided around respective deflection rolls 193 in the coagulation bath 191 and fed to a draw-off godet 195 outside the coagulation bath 191. The draw-off godet 195 serves for further transport and post-stretching of the cellulose fibers 108 to achieve the desired titer. Downstream of the draw-off godet 195, the fiber bundles composed of the cellulose fibers 108 are washed in a washing section 180, optionally wound up, and then cut (not shown).

[0109] Although not shown in FIG. 2, the solvent 116 of the lyocell spinning solution 104 that is removed from the cellulose fibers 108 during coagulation and subsequent washing in the washing section 180 may be at least partially recovered and reused, respectively, and returned to the storage tank 114 in the next cycle.

[0110] During transport along the fiber receiver 132, the formed bodies 102 (here in the form of cellulose fibers 108) may be washed by the washing section 180 as the washing section 180 provides a washing liquid to remove solvent residues. Thereafter, the formed bodies 102 may be dried.

[0111] Additionally, the compact 102 may be subjected to post-treatments, see the schematic illustration of post-treatment section 134. For example, such post-treatments may include hydroentangling, post-treating, needle treatment, impregnation, steam treatment using steam supplied under pressure, and / or calendering.

[0112] The fiber receiver 132 can feed the compact 102 to a winding device 136, where the compact 102 can be wound. The compact 102 can then be supplied as a rolled shipment to an entity that manufactures products such as wipes and fabrics based on the compact 102.

[0113] Figure 3 shows a cross-section of a cellulose fiber 200 produced by the Lyocell process. The Lyocell-produced cellulose fiber 200 has a smooth, rounded outer surface 202, is uniform, has no visible holes, and is filled with cellulose material. Therefore, those skilled in the art can clearly distinguish the cellulose fiber 200 from cellulose fibers produced by the viscose process (see reference numeral 204 in Figure 4) and cotton cellulose fibers (see reference numeral 206 in Figure 5).

[0114] 4 shows in cross section a cellulose fiber 204 produced by the viscose process. The cellulose fiber 204 is cloud-shaped and has a number of arc-like structures 208 along its periphery.

[0115] 5 shows in cross section a natural cotton cellulose fiber 206. The cellulose fiber 206 is kidney-shaped and contains a lumen 210 inside that is completely enclosed and hollow and free of material.

[0116] Due to the significant geometric and structural differences of the fibers according to Figures 3 to 5, it is possible for a person skilled in the art to clearly determine, for example by microscopy, whether the cellulose fibers are formed by the lyocell process, by the viscose process or naturally in cotton plants.

[0117] Additionally, it should be noted that "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and that the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. Furthermore, it should be noted that features or steps described with reference to one of the above embodiments may also be used in combination with other features or steps of other embodiments described above. Reference signs in the claims are not to be construed as limiting.

Claims

1. A regenerated cellulose molding containing elastane produced by the lyocell or viscose process, wherein the elastane is incorporated into the regenerated cellulose molding, the elastane is derived, at least in part, from garment manufacturing residue and / or used clothing; the regenerated cellulose molding contains at least one further foreign material originating from residues from the garment manufacturing process and / or from used clothing, the further foreign matter is at least one further synthetic plastic; Regenerated cellulose molding.

2. 2. The regenerated cellulose molding according to claim 1, wherein the regenerated cellulose molding contains at least 0.1% polyurethane, of which at least 10% is allocated to elastane.

3. 3. The regenerated cellulose molding according to claim 1, wherein the regenerated cellulose molding contains 0.1 to 5% elastane.

4. At least a portion of the additional synthetic plastic has at least one compatibility, which is at least one of the group consisting of ester compatibility, amide compatibility, and ether compatibility.

4. A regenerated cellulose molding according to claim 1.

5. 5. Regenerated cellulose molding according to claim 1, wherein the further synthetic plastic is at least partially incorporated into the regenerated cellulose molding.

6. The regenerated cellulose molded body has the following characteristics: The regenerated cellulose molding is selected from the group comprising fibers, foils, spheres, or sponges; The regenerated cellulose molding has a fiber extensibility that is at least 10% higher than the fiber extensibility of conventional lyocell fibers; The regenerated cellulose molding has the strength values ​​of conventional lyocell fibers; and Conventional lyocell fibers are Maximum tension (FFk) in the range of 35 cN / dtex to 45 cN / dtex; Maximum wet tension (FFn) ranges from 32 cN / dtex to 42 cN / dtex; Maximum tensile elongation (FDk) ranges from 10% to 15%; Maximum wet tension (FDn) ranged from 16% to 20%; and 6. A regenerated cellulose molding according to claim 1.

7. 1. A method for producing a regenerated cellulose molded body, said method comprising: providing a starting material containing cellulose and elastane, said starting material being solid and comprising, in whole or in part, residue from clothing manufacturing and / or used clothing; producing a cellulose-containing regenerated cellulose body from the starting material by the Lyocell or viscose process, so that the regenerated cellulose body contains at least a portion of the elastane of the starting material, the portion of the elastane of the starting material being incorporated into the regenerated cellulose body; A method for providing the above.

8. 8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the regenerated cellulose molding contains at least 0.1% of a synthetic plastic fraction derived from the starting material.

9. dissolving the starting materials in a solvent by a direct dissolution method to obtain a spinning solution; and extruding the spinning solution through a spinning nozzle to allow at least partial incorporation of synthetic plastic into the cellulose.

9. The method of claim 7 or 8, further comprising:

10. 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of providing the spinning solution with at least one material from the group consisting of cellulose fibers, foreign matter, pulp, and hemicellulose.

11. 11. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the starting material contains at least one further synthetic plastic from the group consisting of polyesters, polyamides, polyurethanes, and polyethers.

12. removing synthetic plastics other than elastane from said starting material. Further comprising: The method of claim 11.

13. providing at least one further starting material containing cellulose and a synthetic plastic other than elastane; producing the regenerated cellulose body from the starting material and the further starting material such that the regenerated cellulose body has at least one predetermined property; Further comprising: the predetermined characteristic is a concentration of elastane; 13. The method according to claim 11 or 12.

14. The elastane in the starting material is present separately from the cellulose.

14. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 13.

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