All-Cellulose Bioplastics from Waste Wood Particles

The concerning accumulation of nonbiodegradable plastic films in the environment and the associated risks have prompted a vigorous quest for biobased degradable substitutes. However, creating biomass-based plastics with a combination of high mechanical strength, water resistance, and rapid degradation in a natural environment presents a great challenge. Herein, we report a facile method to develop high-performance all-cellulose bioplastics from waste wood particles by low-energy microfibrillation and simple oxidation. The resulting oxidized all-cellulose microfiber films (OCMFs) containing a densely packed microscale fiber network structure simultaneously achieve high light transmittance (approximate to 85.1%), low haze (approximate to 6%), and notably high wet strength (approximate to 32.34 MPa), superior to those of typical cellulose nanofiber films with inherent high hydrophilicity. Moreover, the thickness of OCMF can be easily regulated via a self-adhesive lamination approach, overcoming the limited film thickness formed by vacuum filtration. Coupled with low-valuable waste raw materials, all-cellulose components, low-energy microscale fabrication, and high optical clarity and water resistance, the proposed OCMF proves its bright future as ecofriendly alternative bioplastics in sustainable materials.