Investigating Cogent-An Application of Green Chemistry The Chemistry of Fabrics and Dyes By: Erika Fatura

What is Green Chemistry? ›Green chemistry is the science of designing safer products and processes for a more sustainable future. ›Pro-active, innovative science which targets pollution prevention at the source, stopping or reducing waste before it even begins.

$ Business drivers Twelve principles Life cycle implications $ Materials chemistry Social welfare Economic Twelve principles Waste Prevention Atom Economy Safe Raw Materials Safe Product Safe Solvents Energy Efficiency Renewables Process Complexity Catalysis Biodegradability Process Control Safe Process $ $ $ $ $

Why Green Chemistry? Dr. Paul Anastas-”Doing the right things wrong.” Hazardous Chemical Incidents in Schools -After the Rainbow Video Chris Jordan Pictures Job Opportunities Connections to NGSS

A Push for Greener Fabrics What does titanium have to do with fabrics? Traditionally polyester has been made using the heavy metal antimony as a catalyst during the production process. Things began to change in 1999, when Designtex started collaborating with Victor Innovatex and McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry on a new kind of polyester that no longer relies on this heavy metal.Classified as Eco Intelligent™, this new polyester is antimony-free. Here’s where the titanium comes in: the catalyst for the production process has been successfully switched from antimony to this environmentally safer material. Beyond that, the fiber is designed to be used, recovered and remanufactured safely and effectively throughout multiple product lifecycles, and is produced with materials and manufacturing practices that are optimized for human and environmental health and safety¹. After initially introducing this revolutionary new fabric into the marketplace in 2003, Designtex continues to add new Eco Intelligent™ Polyester styles to their sustainable product offering.

Introduction to Cogent The Cogent™ Group, a collection of Steelcase textiles creating sustainable results through thoughtful design. The new Steelcase seating and panel fabrics that make up the The Cogent™ Group are certified Cradle to Cradle™ (C2C) Gold by McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC). MBDC announced that a product can only be Gold C2C certified if the fabrics it uses contain less than 100 parts per million of any heavy metal of concern, to include antimony. Today, antimony is used in the creation of most conventional polyester. It is an important thing to be aware of, because heavy metals bio-accumulate and can be toxic to humans and the environment. So, the more our industry can do to reduce or wholly eliminate heavy metal from polyester, the better off we’ll all be. Video

Cogent Continued -The pallette for cogent fabrics include many colors. -A change in color means a change in chemistry. -Historically, dye chemistry resulted in problematic environmental problems. -Cogent fabrics are Cradle to Cradle Gold Certified.

polymerization (polycondensation) Yarn chemistry Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET, PETE): ethylene glycol polymerization (polycondensation) terephthalic acid + CATALYST PET PET Pellet PET Fiber “polyester” fabric spinning weaving Textile Process What is the Catalyst and what happens to it?

Exploring Dye Chemistry Article-Our Colorful Food Anticipation-Reaction Guide Natural Vs. Synthetic Fabrics and Dyes Labs -Flinn Scientific Lab-Dyes and Dyeing -Natural Vs. Synthetic Dyes Lab -Dyeing of Textiles With Natural Dyes -Dyes and Dyeing

Connections to the NGSS HS-ETS1-3. Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and tradeoff that account for a range of constraints including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics as well as potential social, cultural and environmental impacts. HS-ESS3-4. Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems. MS-PS1-3. Gather and make sense of information to gather and describe that synthetic materials come from natural resources and impact society. MS-ETS1-2. Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem. HS-PS2-6.Communicate scientific and technical information about why the molecular-level structure is important in the functioning of designed materials.