Scalable Production of Biodegradable, Recyclable, Sustainable Cellulose-Mineral Foams via Coordination Interaction Assisted Ambient Drying

Heavy reliance on petrochemical-based plastic foams in both industry and society has led to severe plastic pollution (the so-called white pollution). In this work, we develop a biodegradable, recyclable, and sustainable cellulose/ bentonite (Cel/BT) foam material directly from resource abundant natural materials (i.e., lignocellulosic biomass and minerals) via ambient drying. The strong resistance to the capillary force-driven structural collapse of the preformed three-dimensional (3D) network during the ambient drying process can be ascribed to the purpose-designed cellulose- bentonite coordination interaction, which provides a practical way for the locally scalable production of foam materials with designed shapes without complex processing and intensive energy consumption. Benefiting from the strong cellulose-bentonite coordination interaction, the Cel/BT foam material demonstrates high mechanical strength and outstanding thermal stability, outperforming commercial plastic polystyrene foam. Furthermore, the Cel/BT foam presents environmental impacts much lower than those of petrochemical-based plastic foams as it can be 100% recycled in a closed-loop recycling process and easily biodegraded in the environment (natural cellulose goes back to the carbon cycle, and bentonite minerals return to the geological cycle). This study demonstrates an energy-efficient ambient drying approach for the local and scalable production of an all-natural cellulose/bentonite foam for sustainable packaging, buildings, and beyond, presenting great potential in response to white pollution and resource shortage.

Automated summary

In this study, a biodegradable, recyclable, and sustainable cellulose/bentonite foam material was developed through ambient drying. This material demonstrates high mechanical strength, outstanding thermal stability, and low environmental impact. It has great potential in addressing the issues of white pollution and resource shortage.