Lignocellulosic paper is a crucial solution for preventing the increase in plastic packaging wastes; however, the inherent hydrophilicity and poor water resistance impede its practical applications. Here, we report a facile metal-ion-modification approach for converting conventional hydrophilic, low-wet-strength lignocellulosic paper to hydrophobic and water-resistant paper with high wet strength. In this process, conventional paper is swelled with a dilute multivalent metal ion solution, followed by drying to induce the coordination interactions between metal ions and lignocellulosic fibers. The resulting hydrophobic paper exhibit a water contact angle up to 140°, high tensile strength, and low water absorptiveness, which are comparable to synthetic polymer films. The hydrophobic paper is stable for long-term storage and solvent wash. This metal-ion-modification approach also can be applied in the wood pulping process for the scalable production of hydrophobic fibers and papers.

Hydrophobic lignocellulosic paper for packaging prepared by metal-ion-modification

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