Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Enzymatic Degradation and Pilot-Scale Composting of Cellulose-Based Films with Different Chemical Structures

Researchers investigated the enzymatic degradability and pilot-scale composting of 14 cellulose-based materials including regenerated cellulose, cellulose acetate, methyl cellulose, and cellophane, finding that hydrolysis rate decreased exponentially as the degree of chemical substitution increased. The study establishes structure-biodegradability relationships to guide development of cellulose-based plastic alternatives that balance mechanical strength with natural biodegradability.

2019 Journal of Polymers and the Environment 114 citations
Article Tier 2

Hydrophobic, Sustainable, High-Barrier Regenerated Cellulose Film via a Simple One-Step Silylation Reaction

Researchers developed hydrophobic, high-barrier regenerated cellulose films through a simple one-step gas-solid silylation reaction, creating a sustainable and biodegradable alternative to petroleum-based plastic packaging films.

2023 Polymers 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanofibrilation of alkali-pretreated cellulose fiber using grinding treatment

This study investigated how strong alkali pretreatment affects the production of cellulose nanofibrils through mechanical grinding, finding it shifts cellulose crystal structure and removes hemicellulose. The resulting cellulose nanofibrils are promising as biodegradable, high-performance replacements for petroleum-based materials in packaging and composites.

2023 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Cellulose Nanopaper: A Study of Composition and Surface Modifications to Develop Sustainably-Sourced Alternatives to Plastics

This study developed cellulose nanopaper — derived from wood pulp — with surface modifications to improve its properties as a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based plastic packaging films. The research addresses the need for biodegradable packaging materials that reduce the plastic waste that becomes microplastic contamination.

2017 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Controlling the rheology of cellulose dissolved in 4–methylmorpholine N–oxide and tensile properties of precipitated cellulose films via mixture design

This paper is not directly about microplastics; it investigates how blending cellulose pulps of different molecular weights affects the viscosity and mechanical properties of regenerated cellulose films, with applications in fiber and film manufacturing. While regenerated cellulose fibers have been discussed in the microplastics literature, this study focuses on industrial processing rather than environmental pollution.

2024 Cellulose 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Reassembly of wood to plastic- and paper-like films via ultra-mild dissolution in formic acid

Lignocellulosic biomass was converted into plastic- and paper-like films by dissolving wood in formic acid without ball milling or catalysts, then reassembling the formylated cell wall components by casting. The ultra-mild process offers a simpler route to renewable bio-based film materials from wood.

2024 Materials Advances 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Advances in Cellulose-Based Packaging Films for Food Products

This review covers recent advances in cellulose-based packaging films as sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics, examining how different cellulose structures and derivatives enable versatile film properties for food packaging applications.

2023 IntechOpen eBooks 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Revealing pore size distribution in cellulose and lignin-cellulose man-made fibers – effect of draw ratio and lignin content

Researchers measured the pore structure of cellulose and lignin-cellulose fibers using thermoporometry (a technique that uses freezing point changes to detect tiny pores) and found that drying the fibers causes partial, irreversible pore collapse that changes their internal architecture. The findings have implications for designing cellulose-based materials — a biodegradable alternative to synthetic plastics — where controlling pore structure determines performance.

2024 Cellulose 6 citations
Review Tier 2

A Review on the Modification of Cellulose and Its Applications

This review summarizes recent advances in cellulose modification techniques and applications, including its use as a sustainable alternative to synthetic polymers. The study discusses how modified cellulose materials could help address plastic pollution by providing biodegradable substitutes for conventional plastic products.

2022 Polymers 417 citations
Article Tier 2

Renewable cellulosic nanocomposites for food packaging to avoid fossil fuel plastic pollution: a review

Researchers reviewed how cellulose nanoparticles extracted from plant biomass can replace petroleum-based plastics in food packaging, finding that adding just 1–5% cellulose nanoparticles significantly improves strength, reduces oxygen and water vapor permeability, and keeps packaging biodegradable. The review positions cellulose nanocomposites as a scalable, eco-friendly alternative to fossil-fuel plastics that contribute to microplastic pollution.

2020 Environmental Chemistry Letters 222 citations
Article Tier 2

Recent Advances in Chemically Modified Cellulose and Its Derivatives for Food Packaging Applications: A Review

This review examined recent advances in chemically modified cellulose and its derivatives for food packaging applications, highlighting how cellulose-based biodegradable materials can replace petroleum-based plastics while discussing challenges in moisture barrier and mechanical properties.

2022 Polymers 95 citations
Article Tier 2

Controlled surface acetylation of cellulosics to tune biodegradability while expanding their use towards common petrochemical-based plastics

Not relevant to microplastics — this study demonstrates surface acetylation of cellulose paper fibers to improve wet strength and moisture resistance while maintaining biodegradability, positioned as an alternative to petrochemical plastics.

2024 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Drying of the Natural Fibers as A Solvent-Free Way to Improve the Cellulose-Filled Polymer Composite Performance

This materials science paper describes how thermal drying of cellulose fibers improves their performance as fillers in polymer composites. Developing stronger plant-fiber composites is part of the broader effort to create biodegradable plastic alternatives that do not generate persistent microplastic pollution.

2020 Polymers 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of preparation techniques of cellulose II nanocrystals as reinforcement for tannery solid waste–based gelatin composite films

Researchers extracted cellulose II nanocrystals from wet wipes using three different hydrolysis methods and incorporated them into tannery-waste gelatin films, finding that hydrogen-peroxide-derived nanocrystals improved mechanical stiffness by 50%, enhanced UV barrier properties, and produced films that degraded 80% within 7 days in soil.

2022 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Free standing nanocellulose films – fabrication methods, surface engineering and recyclability

This review examines fabrication methods, surface engineering approaches, and recyclability of free-standing nanocellulose films, highlighting their potential as sustainable alternatives to synthetic plastic films across various applications.

2025 Asian Engineering Review
Article Tier 2

Retain strength, gain ductility: tough and transparent nanopapers by mercerisation

Researchers improved the toughness and transparency of nanocellulose papers — a potential plastic alternative — through a simple alkali treatment called mercerisation. The treated papers maintained high strength while gaining greater flexibility, making nanocellulose a more viable candidate for replacing conventional plastic films in packaging.

2023 Research Square (Research Square) 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigating the characteristics of carboxymethyl cellulose film as a possible material for green packaging

Researchers developed biodegradable carboxymethyl cellulose films from agricultural waste as a potential sustainable alternative to conventional plastic food packaging. Replacing single-use plastics with biodegradable packaging is directly relevant to reducing the source of microplastic pollution, as conventional packaging is a major contributor to plastic fragmentation in the environment.

2023 GSC Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Citric acid cross-linked regenerated bacterial cellulose as biodegradable and biocompatible film for food packaging

Researchers developed biodegradable packaging films from regenerated bacterial cellulose cross-linked with citric acid. The films showed good mechanical strength, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. Bacterial cellulose-based packaging could serve as a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based plastic films and reduce microplastic generation from food packaging.

2023 Research Square (Research Square)
Article Tier 2

The Hydrophobicity of Lignocellulosic Fiber Network Can Be Enhanced with Suberin Fatty Acids

Researchers extracted suberin fatty acids from birch bark and used them to create hydrophobic fiber network sheets as a potential natural alternative to plastic-coated packaging materials. The resulting material repelled water while remaining breathable, offering a promising bio-based substitute that could reduce plastic use in food and material packaging.

2019 Molecules 18 citations
Article Tier 2

In Situ Synthesis of Plasticized Bacterial Cellulose Films for Daily Packaging Using Biobased Plasticizers

Researchers synthesized plasticized bacterial cellulose films in situ and characterized their mechanical, optical, and barrier properties for daily packaging applications, finding the bio-based materials offered competitive performance with lower environmental impact than petroleum-based alternatives.

2025 ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Eco-Friendly Methods for Extraction and Modification of Cellulose: An Overview

This review covers eco-friendly methods for extracting and modifying cellulose, the most abundant renewable polymer on Earth. Researchers describe newer sustainable fractionation processes that avoid the harsh chemicals traditionally used to separate cellulose fibers from plant material. The study highlights cellulose-based materials as promising replacements for fossil-based products in textiles, packaging, and other applications.

2023 Polymers 106 citations
Article Tier 2

Reversible acetalization of cellulose: A platform for bio-based materials with adjustable properties and biodegradation

Researchers developed a reversible chemical modification of cellulose using acetal linkages that allows the biopolymer to be processed like conventional plastics while retaining full biodegradability, offering a promising alternative to cellulose acetate used in products like cigarette filters.

2022 Chemical Engineering Journal 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Evolution of the Molecular and Supramolecular Structures of PLA during the Thermally Supported Hydrolytic Degradation of Wet Spinning Fibers

Researchers studied the structural evolution of polylactic acid fibers during accelerated hydrolytic degradation at different pH levels and temperatures, finding disorder-to-order phase transitions in the polymer's supramolecular structure that affect the degradation behavior of PLA materials in real-world conditions.

2022 Macromolecules 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Leveraging IntrinsicHemicellulose in Cellulose Nanopaperfor Enhanced Nanoplastic Collection

Researchers demonstrated that cellulose nanopaper assembled from cellulose nanofibrils containing intrinsic hemicellulose can efficiently capture diversified nanoplastics from aqueous environments through interfacial adsorption and physical interception, leveraging the hierarchical lignocellulose microstructure for enhanced nanoplastic collection.

2025 Figshare