Recycling Waste Paper for Further Implementation: XRD, FTIR, SEM, and EDS Studies

Recycling technology contributes to sustainability and has received considerable interest in fulfilling consumable products’ social demands, including papers. Recycled fibers are the primary source of the papermaking industry. Papers, valuable daily used materials, can be further recycled for further implementation. Here, we report a simple method for recycling waste papers for further use. Our method includes re-pulping, deinking, bleaching, and papermaking. The sample and the recycled papers were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). XRD data shows the presence of cellulose and filler minerals in the sample and the recycled papers. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of hydroxyl, carbonyl, and methyl functional groups in the recycled papers suggesting that the deinking and bleaching did not cause any structural changes. The fibrous structures were also sustained after recycling, as confirmed by SEM studies demonstrating that the recycling was successful and the papers can be further used and recycled. EDS analysis further confirmed the filler minerals in the sample paper with a trace amount of lead, which decreased upon bleaching the paper. The structure and properties of the sample and the recycled papers were quite similar, inferring that waste papers can be recycled again and different products from low to higher grade papers can be fabricated.