Closed-Loop Recycling of Wearable Electronic Textiles

The rising demand for wearable electronic textiles (e-textiles) in personalized healthcare poses significant sustainability challenges, particularly in terms of e-waste management and textile recycling. Integrating electronics into textile fibers introduces complex material compositions, complicating end-of-life (EoL) disposal and recycling processes. Current recycling technologies for traditional electronics are ineffective for wearable e-textiles, and sustainable EoL solutions are urgently needed to prevent environmental degradation. In this work, we demonstrate the first closed-loop recycling process for graphene-based wearable e-textiles. Our approach involves the pyrolysis of e-textiles to convert them into electrically conductive graphene-like recycled powders. These materials are then re-incorporated into new e-textiles using a scalable pad-dry coating method. Sustainable materials, such as Tencel (Lyocell), are employed as the textile substrate due to their biodegradability and renewability. Graphene, produced via low-energy microwave plasma cracking of biomethane waste, serves as the conductive material in the wearable devices. The recycled graphene-based e-textiles are repurposed as multifunctional devices for healthcare applications, including electrocardiogram (ECG) sensing and temperature monitoring. These upcycled materials demonstrate impressive performance retention, with ECG sensors and temperature-responsive devices exhibiting functional sensing capabilities comparable to those fabricated with pristine graphene electrodes. Moreover, the recycled materials were utilized in textile supercapacitors, which retained ≈94% of their capacitance after 1000 charge-discharge cycles, with an areal capacitance of 4.92 mF cm^-2, showcasing excellent durability.

This closed-loop recycling process highlights several critical advantages. First, it eliminates the need for complex material separation or purification processes, thereby reducing the energy and resources typically associated with e-textile recycling. Second, the approach promotes waste prevention by converting bio-based materials into conductive components, reducing reliance on rare or expensive metals. Finally, this work introduces a sustainable method for upcycling e-textiles into new value-added products, extending their lifecycle and reducing environmental impact. While the recycled graphene materials may exhibit slightly lower performance compared to pristine counterparts, the trade-off is justified by the environmental benefits and cost-effectiveness achieved through upcycling. This method aligns with circular economy principles, offering a feasible solution to the growing e-waste and textile waste problems. By focusing on material recovery and the reuse of electronic components, our approach advances sustainable e-textile production, paving the way for environmentally friendly wearable technologies. In conclusion, this research demonstrates a pioneering approach to closed-loop recycling of wearable e-textiles, addressing both the environmental challenges of e-waste and the need for sustainable practices in the rapidly expanding field of wearable electronics. By combining scalable manufacturing techniques, green material choices, and innovative recycling processes, this work opens new pathways for the development of multifunctional, sustainable e-textiles for healthcare and other applications.