Compressible Cellulose Wood Prepared with Deep Eutectic Solvents and Its Improved Technology

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Green Chemistry
• Biomaterials Engineering

Background:

• Traditional elastic materials often rely on polluting reagents and limited production methods.
• Wood's potential as a scalable and sustainable elastic material is hindered by its inherent rigidity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an environmentally friendly and scalable method for producing a novel compressible wood (CW) material.
• To enhance wood's elasticity and compressibility through innovative chemical treatments.
• To explore the potential applications of the developed CW material.

Main Methods:

• A top-down approach utilizing a cost-effective, recyclable deep eutectic solvent (DES) for initial wood treatment.
• A secondary treatment with sodium hydroxide alkali solution to further improve elasticity.
• Comprehensive analysis including microscopic imaging, chemical composition, mechanical property testing, and laser confocal microscopy.

Main Results:

• DES treatment removed lignin and hemicellulose, thinning cell walls and creating a honeycomb structure, resulting in initial softening (CW-1).
• Secondary alkali treatment produced a significantly softer and more elastic wood (CW-2) with a sustained compression rebound rate exceeding 90%.
• The treatments effectively modified wood's cellular structure, enhancing its elastic and durable properties.

Conclusions:

• The developed compressible wood (CW) offers a sustainable and scalable alternative to traditional elastic materials.
• The combination of DES and alkali treatment effectively transforms natural wood into a highly elastic and durable material.
• Compressible wood shows significant potential for applications in sensors, water purification, and tissue engineering.