Sustainable materials in day-to-day applications are in high demand for the express purpose of reducing dependence on polluting and wasteful non-renewable resources. Due to several material separation challenges, recycling of materials can be difficult, which prompts exploration of a supporting mechanism of natural degradation of renewable materials. Wood-based products are renewable that may be tuned with mild chemo-mechanical modifications for desired product performance while displaying compliant biodegradability in the natural environments after their intended life. Alternatively, lignocellulosic materials can be converted into nanomaterials, which can be more easily modified for improved surface characteristics and availability of active chemical groups. It is known, for example, that lignin can absorb UV to undergo radical-mediated coupling reactions to produce large macromolecular networks that have higher hydrophobicities. Thus, by pursuing a strategy using lignocellulosic nanomaterials under selective UV irradiation, one can tailor the surface properties of the material to achieve desired wettabilities. This work demonstrates the changes in wetting behavior of such material and associated mechanisms.

UV-induced tuned surface wettability of lignocellulosic materials

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.