Direct dissolution of unbleached pulp from agricultural wastes in cold organic alkali/urea for construction of bioplastic

At present, increasing world population is causing a significant rise in the demand for crop production, further contributing to the generation of agricultural waste. Herein, we report a facile method for directly dissolving unbleached pulp from agricultural wastes in cold benzyl trimethyl ammonium hydroxide/urea aqueous solution (BzMe3NOH/urea/H2O) without pretreatment, for the preparation of high-performance lignocellulosic bioplastics. In this solvent, the solubility of unbleached pulp with high lignin content and high molecular weight can be > 98%. The produced lignocellulosic bioplastics exhibit excellent mechanical properties (101.78 MPa). The presence of lignin leads to good ultraviolet resistance (over 90%) and water stability (water contact angle of 91.8°). This solution-regeneration method that utilizes a cold alkali/urea aqueous solution is a promising for producing strong and sustainable lignocellulosic bioplastics, a potential substitute for petrochemical plastics. Furthermore, this study provides a possible avenue for the utilization of agricultural waste.