Molecular dissociation of DTMS tailoring cellulose regeneration and hydrophobic modification for building highly transparent cellulose films

Earth has become depleted of oil and has suffered from the misuse of non-biodegradable plastics. Significant efforts have been dedicated to addressing the application flaws of cellulose as a substitute for plastics derived from petroleum. One of key defects was non-hydrophobic nature which highly influenced the mechanical properties of cellulose material during practical uses. Here, an innovative method was proposed to achieve hydrophobic modification of cellulose films through the molecular dissociation of dodecyltrimethoxysilane (DTMS) without the use of any toxic agents during the cellulose regeneration process. The hydrophobic (water contact angle of 118°), transparent (transmittance of 85%), and high-strength (70 MPa) DC films (cellulose films modified by DTMS) were successfully fabricated via cellulose regeneration process tailored by the DTMS after molecular dissociation. The DC films stood out in both hydrophobicity and strength compared with several commercial plastics and the possible hydrophobic mechanism was proposed. Furthermore, the obsession with smart sensing abilities in DC films has made it a potential tool for monitoring baby diapers. Therefore, unlike conventional concepts, the methodology we adopted is simple and efficient, and it also eliminates the need for cellulose and replaces it with plastics.