Cellulose

Scientists have devised a way to produce recyclable and stable polymers from cellulose, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional plastics. This development opens up new possibilities in the production of environmentally friendly materials. Above is a transparent film made from the new recyclable polymer developed in this study. Credit: Feng LiCellulose, widely sourced from plant matter, can be transformed into molecules for the creation of a novel category of recyclable polymers, offering a sustainable…

We may soon be finishing off a box of cereal and then eating the bag it came in. Researchers have turned to bacteria-produced cellulose to create a composite packaging material to replace plastic. The material is not only robust and sustainable to produce, but it’s also biodegradable and, what’s more, edible.Plastics can take anywhere from 50 to 200 years to decompose, depending on what they’re made from. The use of petroleum-based plastics in packaging has led to significant pollution over the decades, leading to a push…

Highly elastic hydrogels constructed by heat-induced hydrogen bond remodeling can switch between wet and dry states Credit: Fusheng Zhang and Qiongya LiResearchers develop an insoluble CNC hydrogel with high sensitivity to calcium ions, paving the way for sustainable cellulose sensors in wearable devices and biomedicine.Cellulose nanocrystal (CNC), an emerging bio-based material, has been widely applied in fields like electronics, bioplastics, and energy.However, functional failure of such materials in wet or liquid…

Texas Tech University estimates that the state’s economy could lose $2.1 billion.Image: Sabrina Janelle Gordon (Shutterstock)As droughts continue to sweep across the United States, Texas is in a precarious position. The state’s incredibly dry conditions are taking a toll on its cotton crop—a major export for the state—and some experts are worried about what this could mean for the Texas economy.As our changing climate continues to foster drought conditions, places across the countryare succumbing to hot and dry weather…