Natural Fiber Welding

Abstract

Ionic liquidIonic liquid-basedFiber welding(IL-based) manufacturingManufacturinghas the potential to revolutionize the materials industry and disrupt overdependence on petroleum-based plastics. Nature provides amazing materials at large scale; however, scalable techniques to mold and shape biomaterials have not existed at scale. Natural Fiber WeldingFiber welding, Inc. (NFW) has developed commercially viable processes and patent-protected materials that are scalable to meet modern challenges while reducing pollution and emissions. This chapter discusses a number of demonstrations that are being scaled for global markets as well as reviews several examples of new functionalities that can be achieved. Practical applications that create compositesCompositesfrom wasteWastetextilesTextileand new indigoIndigodye processes are discussed. Examples of “exotic” materials that perform catalytic wasteWaste-water treatment and wearable energy storageEnergy storageare also reviewed. In all cases, NFW is able to make natural materials, such as cottonCottonand silkSilk, perform in new and unexpected ways. Prospects for scaling commercial applicationsCommercial applicationsare also discussed. With economically viable methods to reclaim, recycle, and reuse IL-based solventsSolvents, the future looks extremely bright. In the near future, industry-relevant complex natural compositesNatural compositeswill be produced at cost points that compete with incumbent synthetic plasticsSynthetic plastics. This new way of manufacturingManufacturinghas significant potential to reduce emissions, eliminate pollution, and bring new circularity into, for example, the textileTextileindustry.