New Waterproof Paper Is Expected To Be Used In Packaging And Biomedical Equipment And Completely Replace Plastic

A breakthrough research shows the creation of sustainable hydrophobic paper. Cellulose nanofibers and peptides enhance the performance of this paper, providing a biodegradable substitute for petroleum based materials, which is expected to be used in packaging and biomedical equipment.

The researchers aim to use the strength and water resistance of cellulose nanofibers to develop hydrophobic paper, so as to create a sustainable high-performance material suitable for packaging and biomedical applications. This innovative approach includes the integration of short protein chains (i.e. peptide sequences) without chemical changes to the cellulose nanofibers. The result is a potential substitute for petroleum based materials with significant environmental benefits.

This research entitled "Self assembly of nano cellulose and short peptide to improve mechanical strength and barrier performance" was recently published on the cover of Journal of Material Chemistry B. This research was carried out by "Giulio Natta", Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering, Milan Polytechnic University, together with Alto University, Finland VTT Technology Research Center and National Science Research Center SCITEC The research institute cooperates.

Cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) are natural fibers extracted from cellulose, a renewable and biodegradable source, and are known for their strength and versatility. In this study, Giulio Natta), a researcher of the super biological nano laboratory, showed how to greatly improve the performance of cellulose nanofibers by adding small proteins called peptides without chemical modification.

"Our supramolecular approach involves adding small sequence peptides that bind to nanofibers to improve their mechanical properties and water resistance. Elisa Marelli, co-author of this study Explained the research method: "The research results show that even a small amount of peptide (less than 0.1%) can significantly improve the mechanical properties of the produced mixed materials, making them have stronger stress resistance".

Finally, the researchers evaluated the effect of adding fluorine atoms to the peptide sequence. In this way, it is possible to form a structured hydrophobic film on the material, so as to maintain its biocompatibility and sustainable characteristics while providing stronger waterproof.

As the co-author of the study Pierangelo Metrongolo) pointed out that "this progress has brought new opportunities for the creation of biomaterials, which can be comparable to petroleum derived materials in terms of performance, and reduce the impact on the environment while achieving the same quality and efficiency. These blends are well suited for sustainable packaging, where moisture resistance is critical, and because of their biocompatibility, they are also well suited for biomedical equipment. "