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Synthesis of Water-Dispersible Poly(dimethylsiloxane) and Its Potential Application in the Paper Coating Industry as an Alternative for PFAS-Coated Paper and Single-Use Plastics
Summary
Researchers synthesized water-dispersible polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and evaluated its potential as a delivery agent and surface-treatment compound in cosmetic and biomedical applications. The water-dispersible PDMS formulations showed stable performance and could enable silicone-based functionality in aqueous formulations without conventional solvents.
Polyethylene-, polyvinylidene chloride-, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance-coated paper generate microplastics or fluorochemicals in the environment. Here, we report an approach for the development of oil-resistant papers using an environmentally friendly, fluorine-free, water-dispersible poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) coating on kraft paper. Carboxylic-functionalized PDMS (PDMS-COOH) was synthesized and subsequently neutralized with ammonium bicarbonate to obtain a waterborne emulsion, which was then coated onto kraft paper. The water resistance of the coated paper was determined via Cobb60 measurements. The Cobb60 value was reduced to 2.70 ± 0.14 g/m2 as compared to 87.6 ± 5.1 g/m2 for uncoated paper, suggesting a remarkable improvement in water resistance. Similarly, oil resistance was found to be 12/12 on the kit test scale versus 0/12 for uncoated paper. In addition, the coated paper retained 70-90% of its inherent mechanical properties, and more importantly, the coated paper was recycled via pulp recovery using a standard protocol with a 91.1% yield.