SELF-REINFORCED ALL-CELLULOSE COMPOSITES: PROCESSING, CHALLENGES, AND INDUSTRIAL POTENTIAL

Cellulose, the most abundant polymer on Earth, is a sustainable and eco-friendly resource available from plants and particularly agricultural residues. Due to its versatility, cellulose can be effectively utilized to create all-cellulose composites, which are self-reinforced materials produced by partially or fully dissolving cellulose fibers without synthetic binders. Employing cost-effective, recyclable, and environmentally friendly solvents, such as cold aqueous NaOH/urea solutions, is essential for industrial feasibility. This study contributes to ongoing research focused on converting agricultural waste from date palm trees into all-cellulose composites. Specifically, it explores a rapid, simplified industrial process that combines mechanical and chemical treatments in one step, thereby reducing processing time and costs. The composites developed exhibited tensile strength of 4.1 MPa and tensile modules of 1.43 GPa, making them suitable for applications like packaging and insulation, where high mechanical strength is not critical. The observed limitations in mechanical properties are primarily due to challenges in dissolving high-polymerization fibers directly in cold NaOH/urea, short fiber lengths, inadequate pressing pressure and duration, and incomplete solvent removal. Future research can address these challenges to further enhance the properties and applicability of these sustainable materials.