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Supramolecular IonicPolymerization: Cellulose-BasedSupramolecular Plastics with Broadly Tunable Mechanical Properties
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Researchers created a cellulose-based supramolecular plastic via ionic polymerization and showed that mechanical brittleness could be overcome with choline chloride addition, yielding a renewable, tunable material as a potential microplastic-free alternative to petroleum-based plastics.
Developing mechanically tough and sustainable plastics from renewable resources such as biomass may certainly give a promising solution to the replacement of petroleum-based plastics and eliminate microplastics. Here, we report a cellulose-based supramolecular plastic (CMCSP) synthesized by supramolecular “ionic” polymerization of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as an oxyanionic monomer and a hyperbranched polyguanidinium ion (PEIGu) as a cationic monomer. CMCSP is mechanically strong but inherently brittle. However, as highlighted in the present paper, we could overcome the brittleness issue by adding (2-hydroxyethyl)trimethylammonium chloride (choline chloride, ChCl) to CMCSP. This FDA-approved, biodegradable ionic human nutrient served as a particular plasticizer, enabling broad modulation of stiff, glassy CMCSP to a tough, flexible material and further to a soft, elastic material. We demonstrated that plasticized CMCSPChCl could be processed into a flexible plastic bag, which was mechanically tough but perfectly dissociable in seawater and closed-loop recyclable with electrolytes. Hence, CMCSPChCl never generates microplastics.
More Papers Like This
Supramolecular IonicPolymerization: Cellulose-BasedSupramolecular Plastics with Broadly Tunable Mechanical Properties
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed a cellulose-based sustainable plastic using supramolecular ionic polymerization, finding that adding choline chloride overcame the material's inherent brittleness and produced broadly tunable mechanical properties as a potential petroleum-plastic replacement.
Supramolecular IonicPolymerization: Cellulose-BasedSupramolecular Plastics with Broadly Tunable Mechanical Properties
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed a cellulose-based supramolecular plastic synthesized from carboxymethyl cellulose and a polyguanidinium ion, demonstrating that tunable mechanical properties—including toughness—could be achieved by adding choline chloride as a plasticizer.
Supramolecular Ionic Polymerization: Cellulose-Based Supramolecular Plastics with Broadly Tunable Mechanical Properties
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed a cellulose-based supramolecular plastic by combining carboxymethyl cellulose with a hyperbranched polyguanidinium ion through ionic bonding. The resulting material demonstrated broadly tunable mechanical properties including high strength and stretchability comparable to conventional petroleum-based plastics. The study presents a promising approach for creating sustainable, biodegradable plastic alternatives from renewable biomass resources that could help reduce microplastic pollution.
Supramolecular plastics represent a breakthrough in sustainable, circular materials for mitigating threats to the environment posed by the global plastics crisis
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed a supramolecular plastic based on non-covalent assembly that does not fragment into microplastics during its lifecycle and supports closed-loop chemical recycling, offering a materials design pathway that avoids secondary plastic pollution at the source.
Supramolecular plastics represent a breakthrough in sustainable, circular materials for mitigating threats to the environment posed by the global plastics crisis
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed a supramolecular plastic based on non-covalent assembly that does not fragment into microplastics during its lifecycle and supports closed-loop chemical recycling, offering a materials design pathway that avoids secondary plastic pollution at the source.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.