The world’s first thousand-ton-scale production facility for regenerated cellulose fiber using ionic liquids has officially launched in Henan Province, China. Developed by the Institute of Process Engineering (IPE) at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the project represents a global first in producing these sustainable fibers on such a large scale.
This breakthrough technology replaces the harmful or explosive solvents traditionally used in fiber manufacturing—like carbon disulfide and NMMO—with safe, non-volatile ionic liquids. As a result, the production process generates almost no emissions and avoids releasing wastewater, exhaust gases, or solid waste.
Ionic liquids are a unique type of solvent made from organic cations and organic or inorganic anions. Structurally similar to table salt, they remain in liquid form at or near room temperature. Unlike conventional solvents, ionic liquids offer several key advantages: they are highly polar, non-volatile, resistant to oxidation, and can be customized for specific applications. They also dissolve a wide range of materials, from organic and inorganic substances to polymers, making them ideal for green and efficient industrial use.
This innovative process replaces hazardous solvents with non-volatile, stable ionic liquids, eliminating the use of strong acids, bases, and carbon disulfide. In addition, advanced ionic liquid recovery technology streamlines the production process, making it more environmentally friendly, stable, and safe. Compared to conventional fossil-based fiber production, this new method is expected to cut carbon dioxide emissions by around 5,000 tons annually, while achieving a solvent recovery rate of over 99%.
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“This is a milestone in taking ionic liquid spinning technology from the lab to industrial-scale application,” said Professor Zhang Suojiang, lead scientist of the IPE ionic liquids research team. “It represents a major step forward in sustainable fiber manufacturing.”
The commercial success of the project comes after more than ten years of dedicated research and development. The IPE team addressed critical challenges in areas such as the design and synthesis of ionic liquids, cellulose dissolution, optimization of the spinning process, solvent recycling, and full system integration. The technology was proven through a series of scaling phases—from laboratory experiments to ton-scale trials, followed by a 100-ton pilot demonstration—culminating in a fully operational 1,000-ton continuous production line.
The resulting fiber products meet international standards for quality, including fineness, tensile strength, elongation, and consistency.
“This project establishes a new standard for green industrial development and will be instrumental in advancing China’s dual carbon goals,” said Duan Xiaoping, vice president of the China Textile Industry Federation. “It brings strong industrial support to the nation’s efforts in building an ecological civilization.”
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