An ethyl cellulose-coated bacterial cellulose based hydrophobic and degradable straw-like materials towards drinking straws

Currently, we are facing global challenges like petrochemical resource depletion and plastic products induced environmental issues. Especially, the commonly used disposable straws in daily life represent potential issues like other plastic products. Overuse and inadequate handling of disposable straws could add burden to environmental problems due to their non-recyclability in most areas and incomplete biodegradability. Therefore, it is important to find a high-performance alternative to eliminate plastic straw-related environmental problems. Cellulose based derivative materials are recognized as sustainable substitutes for plastics, yet the hydrophilic nature restricts their application as straws. To solve this problem, this study introduces a microplastic-free straw made from ethyl cellulose (EC) enhanced bacterial cellulose (BC). This fabricated EC enhanced BC based straw exhibits improved mechanical properties with bending strength up to 66.82 MPa, good hydrophobicity with water contact angle up to 110°, and favorable heat resistance compared to raw BC based straws. These enhancements are attributed to its three-dimensional nanofiber network structure and intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Moreover, it can degrade completely decomposition within 20 days compared to the commercially available polylactic acid-based straw in soil. This EC enhanced BC based drinking straw is a health-conscious and environmentally friendly alternative to plastic straws.