Fabrication of a 100 % recycled PET copolymer and its filaments and fabric with enhanced low-temperature dyeability, tensile strength and moisture absorption

The preparation of 100 % recycled PET copolymers, as well as their corresponding fibers and fabrics with low-temperature dyeability, is essential for reducing environmental impact and enhancing energy conservation. However, it remains a significant challenge to prepare 100 % recycled PET that simultaneously exhibits excellent mechanical strength and low-temperature dyeability. In this study, this issue was addressed by incorporating polyester diols (Pedol), a PET decomposition product, into the PET macromolecular chain to retain a high molecular weight in the resulting copolymer. The synthesized Pedol-modified PET (PEDT n ) demonstrated good mechanical strength and hydrophilicity. Notably, filaments derived from PEDT 10 , containing 10 wt% Pedol, exhibited superior mechanical and hydrophilic properties compared to conventional PET. Moreover, PEDT 10 fabrics achieved satisfactory dyeing performance without the use of carriers under low-temperature and atmospheric-pressure conditions, highlighting their strong potential for sustainable industrial-scale textile applications.