Rapidly making biodegradable and recyclable paper plastic based on microwave radiation driven dynamic carbamate chemistry

Abstract

Abstract In response to the looming concerns of plastic pollution, replacing plastic with paper is a very promising way, but its realization seems a long way off due to the poor water resistance and unsatisfied mechanical strength of cellulose fibril-based materials. Herein, we develop a versatile functionalizing material consisting of mainly biobased cyclic carbonate-bearing compounds and amine compound, which can enable the rapid transformation (within 2 min under microwave radiation) of the cellulose paper into plastic-like material (named paper plastic) having an unprecedently high tensile strength of ~126 MPa. Through a systematic experimental and theoretical study, the paper plastic’s combination of excellent mechanical properties and water/solvent resistance is attributed to the easy formation of carbamate abundant non-isocyanate polyurethane cooperated with the intermolecular bond exchange mechanism between the dynamic carbamate moiety and hydroxyl of the cellulose. Also, benefiting from the high content (>80%) and natural advantages of biobased materials, the paper plastic shows significant thermal stability, processability, and biodegradability than most petrochemical-based plastics, promising the great potential of dynamic carbamate chemistry toward high-performing paper plastic composites.