TC 567

Biobased Textile Materials and Processes

Section: 601

Course Description

Advances in biotechnology allow us to: better understand the biosynthetic origins of textile materials from agricultural, animal and microbial sources; apply biotechnology, such as enzyme treatment, for textile modification and waste management; and, develop new types of biobased textiles using biocatalytic and fermentation technologies. In the context of this course, biobased textile materials include materials of biological origin used as textiles (e.g. fibers, monomers and fiber-forming biopolymers) or used during the production of textiles (e.g. enzymes, microorganisms, dyes and chemicals). The origins and properties of biobased textile materials are explored in a manner that bridges the fields of polymer chemistry, biochemistry and fiber science, with emphasis on chemical composition, properties, processes, analytics and mechanisms important to using these materials for textile applications. Sustainability attributes of biobased materials are discussed throughout the course.