Duck feather/nonwoven composite fabrics for removing metals present in textile dyeing effluents

Abstract

In this paper, duck feather fiber was treated by alkaline solution first, then its Cu2+ sorption capacity was tested, and the sorption mechanism was studied by utilizing infrared spectrum (FTIR) and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (XRD). Moreover, desorption properties of the treated duck feather fiber were investigated in order to exploit it as a recycled industrial effluent treatment material. Finally, the duck feather fiber was air-laid and thermal-bonded into a composite nonwoven fabric by adding bicomponent low melt PE/PP binder fiber. It was found that the alkaline treated duck feather/bicomponent PE/PP nonwoven fabrics exhibit good mechanical properties and Cu2+ and Cr6+ sorption capacity is a promising material for textile dyeing effluent treatment.