| abstract |
Methods of recovering waste cellulosic fibers from mixtures of waste cellulosic fibers, waste polyester and/or acrylic fibers, and synthetic, cross-linked resin materials which comprise: heating a mixture of waste cellulosic fibers, waste polyester and/or acrylic fibers, and synthetic, cross-linked resin materials within the range of from about 212* to about 275*F. for a period of from about 3/4 hour to about 5 hours in an aqueous treating solution containing an alkali metal hydroxide and one or more added normally liquid chemical agents such as ketones, alcohols, lactones, and sulfoxides, which initiate the decomposition or solubilization of the waste polyester and/or acrylic fibers and the synthetic, cross-linked resin materials; adding a neutral or alkaline oxidizing agent to the mixture of waste fibers and synthetic, cross-linked resin materials; heating the mixture of waste fibers and synthetic, cross-linked resin materials in the presence of the neutral or alkaline oxidizing agent to complete the decomposition or solubilization of the waste polyester and/or acrylic fibers and the synthetic, crosslinked resin materials; and recovering the waste cellulosic fibers. |