A strong, biodegradable and transparent cellulose-based bioplastic stemmed from waste paper

It is crucial and significant to boost the utilization of renewable resources and exploitation of biodegradable materials alternative to petrochemical plastics. Waste paper, mainly composed of cellulose (82-95 wt%) and derived from the lignocellulose, is a type of abundant, renewable, and biodegradable resource, whose recycling use and conversion to high value-added products can reduce the pressure on the environment and exert immense economic benefits. Herein, four kinds of common waste paper (e.g., printing paper, newspaper, straw paper and roll paper) were converted into cellulose-based bioplastic membranes by using ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium chloride as solvent. The cellulose-based membranes are smooth and compact, and their mechanical strength is prominently improved about 3-100 times comparison with the original paper. The maximum tensile strength of the film (F4) is over 127 Mpa and its optical transmittance reaches 80% at 450-800 nm wavelength. Besides, this kind of cellulose-based films have excellent biodegradability. Thus, the results demonstrated that the cellulose-based bioplastic membranes stemmed from waste paper possess a magnificent application prospect.