Pectin blended with cellulose nanofiber (CNF) sourced from wood pulp has excellent potential for modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), as demonstrated with refrigerated or sliced fruits enclosed in parchment coated with pectin-CNF composites. Addition of sodium borate (NaB) augments the antioxidant capacity of the composite, most likely through the generation of unsaturated pectic acid units. Packaging materials coated with pectin-CNF-NaB composites demonstrate better humidity regulation in refrigerated spaces over a 3-week period relative to uncoated controls (50% less variation), with improved preservation of strawberries as well as a reduction in the oxidative browning of sliced apples. Pectin-CNF films are both biorenewable and biodegradable as confirmed by their extensive decomposition in soil over several weeks, establishing their potential as a sustainable MAP material. Lastly, self-standing films are mechanically robust at 80% RH with tensile strength and toughness as high as 150 MPa and 8.5 MJ/m2 respectively. These values are on par with other bioplastic composites and support the practical utility of pectin-CNF composites in functional packaging applications.

Permeable reactive barrier (PRB) integrated with electrokinetic geosynthetic (EKG) is an enhancement technique to improve the efficiency of in-situe heavy metal contaminated soil remediation. In this study, EKG-PRB was considered under cyclic loading conditions to remediate copper contaminated soil. Also, the basis of remediation is the implementation of electrokinetic geosynthetic (EKG) materials as electrodes and fabricated composite nanofibers as a permeable reactive barrier. Therefore, nanofibers electrospun with graphene nanoparticle inclusion were designed and constructed. To assess the performance of EKG-PRNB technique on remediation of a copper contaminated soil, an experimental apparatus was designed, and various tests were categorized into EKG and EKG-PRNB groups. All tests were carried out under the similar conditions, cyclic loading (7-113 kPa), drainage condition (open cathode-closed anode), duration (60 h), and a voltage gradient of 1 V cm- 1 with a tolerance of +/- 0.1. The EKG was carried out without utilizing the PRB, while EKG-PRNB experiments were conducted using a permeable reactive nanofiber barrier in different positions, adjacent to cathode (PRNB0) and at a distance of 4 cm from the cathode (PRNB1). According to the results, PRNB were fabricated with a specific surface area of 19.423 m2 g- 1 and a maximum adsorption capacity of 81.43 mg g-1. Copper removal efficiency in drainage water reached 97.4 %, with copper immobilization efficiency approximately 14 %. Results demonstrated that the positioning of the reactive barrier had no statistically significant impact on the electrokinetic remediation system performance, removal efficiency, settlement, and consolidation degree.

Plant fibers' wide availability and accessibility are the main causes of the growing interest in sustainable technologies. The two primary factors to consider while concentrating on composite materials are their low weight and highly specific features, as well as their environmental friendliness. Pineapple leaf fiber (PALF) stands out among natural fibers due to its rich cellulose content, cost-effectiveness, eco-friendliness, and good fiber strength. This review provides an intensive assessment of the surface treatment, extraction, characterization, modifications and progress, mechanical properties, and potential applications of PALF-based polymer composites. Classification of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, chemical composition, micro cellulose, nanocellulose, and cellulose-based polymer composite applications have been extensively reviewed and reported. Besides, the reviewed PALF can be extracted into natural fiber cellulose and lignin can be used as reinforcement for the development of polymer biocomposites with desirable properties. Furthermore, this review article is keen to study the biodegradation of natural fibers, lignocellulosic biopolymers, and biocomposites in soil and ocean environments. Through an evaluation of the existing literature, this review provides a detailed summary of PALF-based polymer composite material as suitable for various industrial applications, including energy generation, storage, conversion, and mulching films.

The protein from black soldier fly larvae was used as a functional ingredient of a novel green nanofiber. Larvae protein powder (LP) was blended with biodegradable poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) and processed in an electrospinning machine using a coaxial feeding/mixing method to produce nanofibers approximately 100-350 nm in diameter. To improve the dispersion and interface bonding of various PCL/LP nanofiber components, a homemade compatibilizer, maleic anhydridegrafted poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (MPCL), was added to form MPCL/LP nanofibers. The structure, morphology, mechanical properties, water absorption, cytocompatibility, wound healing, and biodegradability of PCL/LP and MPCL/LP nanofiber mats were investigated. The results showed enhanced adhesion in the MPCL/LP nanofiber mats compared to PCL/LP nanofiber mats; additionally, the MPCL/LP nanofibers exhibited increases of approximately 0.7-2.2 MPa in breaking strength and 9.0-22.8 MPa in Young's modulus. Decomposition tests using a simulated body fluid revealed that the addition of LP enhanced the decomposition rate of both PCL/LP and MPCL/LP nanofiber mats and in vitro protein release. Cell proliferation and migration analysis indicated that PCL, MPCL, and their composites were biocompatible for fibroblast (FB) growth. Biodegradability was tested in a 30 day soil test. When the LP content was 20 wt%, the degradation rate exceeded 50%.

Plastic-coated paper straws are insufficient to solve the plastic pollution problem because microplastics are formed during their degradation. In this study, upgraded paper straws were prepared by coating with biodegradable sodium alginate/cellulose nanofiber/stearic acid (SA/CNF/STA) on the surface of paper without additional adhesives. The tensile strength of the paper was enhanced synergistically by the coated SA and CNF after cross-linking with Ca2+ ions, reaching a maximum (26.46 MPa) when the mass ratio of SA to CNF was 4:1. The straws were prepared by spirally winding coated paper into tubes. Subsequent STA modification with different concentration (1-40%) improved the water stability of the paper straws. The paper straws exhibited excellent mechanical properties (including 13.45 MPa of flexural strength, 13.30 MPa of compressive strength) and hydrophobicity (103.67 degrees of maximum water contact angle). After 130 days of soil burial, the paper straws were completely degraded. The comprehensive performance of prepared straws exceeds that of commercially available products in the same category, and they are safe and biodegradable. Paper straw in the work is in line with the concept of green and low-carbon development.

The development of convenient technologies for green fabrication of bio-based polymers that are mechanically tough, recyclable and completely degradable in soil is an urgent demand. Herein, plant oil-based polyesters (PUD) were cost-effectively fabricated by polymerizing diene ester monomers derived from 10-undecanoic acid under mild solvent-free conditions with a yield of 92 %, making them environmentally friendly. Due to the presence of internal reversible forces, plant oil-based polyesters can be easily processed into various shapes and products. Plant oil-based polyester films exhibited a tensile strength of 10.0 MPa, while also being highly flexible, and water-resistant. Additionally, excellent recycling performance of polyester was achieved in a closed loop by solvent-assisted or hot-pressing depolymerization/repolymerization. Moreover, microorganisms and water in soil can completely degrade plant oil-based polyesters within 15 weeks. However, the mechanical properties and thermal stability of plant oil-based polyesters are still anticipated. Therefore, the addition of acetylated cellulose nanofibers (ACNF) to plant oil-based polyester matrix has obtained the production of biodegradable composites with excellent mechanical properties, thermal stability and barrier properties. The high-performance and ecofriendly nanocomposite has the potential to facilitate the multifunctional utilization of cellulose nanofibers and practical applications of plant oils.

Air pollution is a major environmental and public health issue. Each year, large amounts of particulate matter (PM) and other harmful pollutants are released into the atmosphere. Conventional polymer nanofiber filters lack the functionality to capture ultrafine PM. As a sustainable alternative, this work developed titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticle surface-modified cellulose nanofiber (CNF) aerogels for PM2.5 filtration. CNFs were extracted via mechanical disintegration to diameters below 100 nm. The nanofibers were functionalized with 1.0-2.5 wt% TiO2 nanoparticles using citric acid cross-linking. Cylindrical aerogels were fabricated by freezing and lyophilizing aqueous suspensions. Structural, morphological, thermal, and mechanical properties were characterized. TiO2 modification increased density (11.8-19.7 mg/cm3), specific surface area (287-370 m2/g), and Young's modulus (33.5-125.5 kPa) but decreased porosity (99.6 %-97.7 %), pore size (20.2-15.6 nm) and thermal stability compared to unmodified cellulose aerogels. At 2.5 wt% loading, the optimized aerogels achieved 100 % absorption of 0.1-5 mu m particulates owing to reduced pore size. Despite enhanced filtration capabilities, the modified CNF aerogels retained inherent biodegradability, degrading over 70 % within one month of soil burial. This pioneering research establishes TiO2 functionalized CNF aerogels as promising sustainable alternatives to traditional petroleum-based air filters, representing an innovative approach to creating next-generation nanofiltration materials capable of effectively capturing fine and ultrafine particulate matter pollutants.

The increasing global awareness of environmental issues has led to a growing interest in research on cellulosebased film. However, several limitations hinder their development and industrial application, such as hydrophilicity, inadequate mechanical properties and barrier properties, and a lack of activity. This study aimed to create a sustainable and hydrophobic high-performance all-green pineapple peel cellulose nanocomposite film for food packaging by incorporating natural carnauba wax and cellulose nanofibers (CNF) into a pineapple peel cellulose matrix. The results showed that adding carnauba wax to the cellulose matrix converted the surface wettability of the cellulose-based film from hydrophilic to hydrophobic (water contact angle over 100). Additionally, the film exhibited ultraviolet resistance and antioxidation properties. The incorporation of CNF further improved the barrier properties, mechanical properties, and thermal stability of the cellulose nanocomposite film. In applied experiments, the cellulose nanocomposite film delayed post-harvest deterioration and maintained storage quality of cherry tomatoes. Importantly, the cellulose nanocomposite film could be degraded in soil within 30 days. It can be concluded that the cellulose nanocomposite film has great potential to alleviate the environmental problems and human health problems caused by non-degradable petroleum-based plastic packaging.