Key Laboratory of High Efficient Processing of Bamboo of Zhejiang Province, Engineering Technology Research Center for Building and Decorating Materials of Bamboo State Forestry Administration, China National Bamboo Research Center, Hangzhou 310012, China.
College of Material Engineering, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350108, China.
ACS Nano. 2024 Sep 3;18(35):24414-24425. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.4c07148. Epub 2024 Aug 20.
Reckoning with the global environmental challenge of plastic pollution, particularly in terms of recycling and biodegradation of thermosetting plastics, sustainable alternatives are imperative. The rapidly growing and eco-friendly material bamboo has great potential as a sustainable resource; however, it lacks the inherent self-bonding and plasticity characteristics found in plastics. This study presents a feasible approach to enhance the plasticity of bamboo by selectively removing part of its lignin and disrupting the crystalline structure of cellulose. Concurrently, this process selectively transforms hydroxyl groups into highly reactive dialdehyde groups to increase the reactivity of bamboo. The resulting activated bamboo units undergo a hot-pressing process to transform them into a type of thermosetting plastic (ABTP). The ABTP is highly moldable, and its color can be precisely regulated by adjusting the lignin content. Additionally, it exhibits exceptional solvent and water resistance, along with notable mechanical properties, including a tensile strength of 50 MPa, flexural strength of 80 MPa, flexural modulus of 5 GPa, and Shore D hardness approaching 90. Furthermore, the bamboo-derived plastic exhibits exceptional reusability and biodegradability, presenting feasible and environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional plastics while harnessing the sustainable development potential of bamboo.
正视全球塑料污染这一环境挑战，特别是在热固性塑料的回收和生物降解方面，寻求可持续的替代品势在必行。快速增长且环保的竹子作为一种可持续资源具有巨大潜力；然而，它缺乏塑料所具有的固有自粘性和塑性特征。本研究提出了一种通过选择性去除部分木质素和破坏纤维素的结晶结构来提高竹子塑性的可行方法。同时，该过程选择性地将羟基转化为高反应性的二醛基，以增加竹子的反应性。所得活化竹单元经过热压工艺转化为一种热固性塑料（ABTP）。ABTP 具有高度可模塑性，通过调整木质素含量可以精确调节其颜色。此外，它还具有出色的耐溶剂性和耐水性，以及优异的机械性能，包括 50 MPa 的拉伸强度、80 MPa 的弯曲强度、5 GPa 的弯曲模量和接近 90 的肖氏 D 硬度。此外，这种竹基塑料具有出色的可重复使用性和可生物降解性，为传统塑料提供了可行且环保的替代品，同时利用了竹子的可持续发展潜力。
