Renewable and biodegradable biomass-derived lignocellulosic papers are appealing materials to replace non-biodegradable petrochemical plastics. However, lignocellulosic paper suffers from poor water resistance and low wet strength because of the hydrophilic nature of lignocellulosic fibers. This limits the wide-ranging applications of lignocellulosic paper as water-resistant packaging material and the use of other wood-based product products. This study offers a simple, effective, and environmentally friendly technique for converting conventional hydrophilic, low-wet-strength lignocellulosic paper into hydrophobic and water-resistant paper with high wet strength through a metal-ion-induced modification process.<br/>The effects of modification time and metal ion concentration on modified papers' water contact angle (WCA) were investigated. Different types of paper have been successfully modified thus far, including paper towels, A4 paper, packaging papers, newspaper, and high WCAs up to 140°. These adapted papers have maintained WCAs and shown high stability even after solvent washing (e.g., ethanol, methanol, water). In addition, the scalability was investigated by modifying lignocellulosic fibers with metal ions and developing wood-based products with high wet strength and mechanical qualities.<br/>Results from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy imply that the hydrophilic-hydrophobic transition is likely due to the coordination between multivalent metal ions and hydroxyl groups of lignocellulosic fibers.<br/>Furthermore, modified papers and fibers with high hydrophobicity could be good candidates for water-resistant packaging and scalable production of hydrophobic fibers and wood-based products to replace petrochemical-based products.

Sustainable, biodegradability, and water-resistant packaging materials by metal-cation-induced wettability transition of hydrophilic lignocellulose

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