World's first 1,000-ton ionic liquid cellulose fiber plant launches, enabling near-zero emission textiles
©IPE
The world's first 1,000-ton-scale ionic liquid-based regenerated cellulose fiber plant has officially begun operations, marking a groundbreaking milestone in sustainable textile production. Developed by the Institute of Process Engineering (IPE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, this pioneering facility is the first of its kind globally to produce regenerated cellulose fibers on a large scale using ionic liquids.
This innovative technology replaces toxic and explosive solvents, such as carbon disulfide and NMMO, with non-volatile, stable ionic liquids. The result is a near-zero-emission process with no wastewater, waste gas, or solid waste discharge, setting a new standard for environmentally friendly textile manufacturing.
Ionic liquids, composed of organic cations and organic/inorganic anions, resemble the ionic structure of table salt (NaCl) but remain liquid at or near room temperature. These low-temperature molten salts offer high polarity, low volatility, oxidation resistance, and excellent solubility for both inorganic and organic compounds, including polymeric materials. By eliminating the need for strong acids, bases, and toxic solvents, the process achieves a solvent recovery rate exceeding 99% and is estimated to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 5,000 tons annually compared to traditional fossil-based fiber production.
The project, a culmination of over a decade of research, overcame significant challenges in ionic liquid design, cellulose dissolution, spinning process optimization, and solvent recovery. The technology progressed through rigorous lab trials, ton-scale experiments, a 100-ton demonstration, and finally a stable, continuous 1,000-ton production line. The resulting filaments meet international standards for fineness, tensile strength, elongation, and uniformity.
