In response to the problems of poor mechanical ductility and high hydrophilicity of natural polysaccharide films, we propose to introduce rubber material (carboxystyrene styrene-butadiene latex, XSBR) into natural polysaccharides (sodium alginate, SA) to enhance the mechanical properties of SA and reduce its hydrophilicity. In addition, dispersing ZnO in SA through the mediating effect of XSBR can further reduce its hydrophilicity and endow the composite film with antibacterial activity. The tensile strength and strain of the composite film reached 16.1 MPa and 267.3 %, respectively (strain increased by 74 times compared to SA films). The biomimetic design of the ZnO uniformly distributed on the film's surface mimics the tiny synapses on the surface of a lotus leaf, further improving the film's hydrophobic and waterproof properties, with its water contact angle increasing from 68.7 degrees to 97.6 degrees. Besides, the composite film exhibits good light transmission, barrier, antimicrobial, and antioxidant activity. The composite film was effective in extending strawberry freshness up to 9 days. More importantly, indoor-outdoor soil degradation studies proved that the composite film is degradable. This work provides a possible solution for developing durable, hydrophobic, and biodegradable biomass films to replace petroleum-based plastic films.

To enhance the mechanical properties and water resistance of chitosan (CS) films while imparting additional functionalities, this study incorporated a hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent (DES) composed of menthol and pyruvic acid into the CS matrix. At an optimal DES content of 15 %, compared to pure CS films, the elongation at break increased by 77 %, while swelling degree and solubility decreased by 94.44 % and 60.71 %, respectively. The lowest water vapor permeability (11.55 x 10-11 g & sdot;m- 1 & sdot;s- 1 & sdot;Pa- 1) demonstrated enhanced moisture barrier properties. These improvements were attributed to the synergistic effects of hydrogen bonding and ionic crosslinking, reinforcing the network structure and restricting water penetration while maintaining molecular mobility. The films also exhibited excellent ultraviolet-shielding (ultraviolet C transmittance of 3 %) with high transparency, making them suitable for light-sensitive packaging. Additionally, they achieved complete biodegradation in soil within 10 weeks, highlighting their potential as sustainable alternatives to petroleumbased plastics. This study presents a novel approach to enhancing bio-based packaging materials through hydrophobic DES, expanding their applications in sustainable food and pharmaceutical packaging.

Plant polyphenols represent valuable additives for food packaging; however, their poor hydrophilicity necessitates complex pre-treatments. In this study, we propose a simple and eco-friendly strategy for the direct incorporation of hydrophobic polyphenols into packaging films. Using carboxymethyl chitosan and oxidized carrageenan as substrates, we successfully introduced hydrophobic polyphenols into multifunctional hydrogel films through borate ester bonds. The mechanical strength of these films was further enhanced by schiff base bonds. The prepared hydrogel films exhibited antibacterial rates exceeding 98 % against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and demonstrated excellent antioxidant and UV shielding properties. As the oxidation degree of carrageenan increased, the water vapor permeability rate of the hydrogel films decreased from 1.34 x 10-1 0 g & sdot;m-1 & sdot;s-1 & sdot;Pa-1 to 3.13 x 10-1 1 g & sdot;m-1 & sdot;s-1 & sdot;Pa-1 , while the oxygen permeability rate decreased from 40.61 meq/kg to 20.04 meq/kg. This design effectively mitigates the deterioration of fruits and vegetables caused by dehydration and oxidation. Furthermore, the hydrogel films containing carrageenan with a medium oxidation degree exhibited superior mechanical properties, with tensile strength increasing by 4.8-fold and the ability to bear a load of 200 g. The banana preservation experiments demonstrated that hydrogel films can effectively delay the deterioration of bananas. Notably, the film exhibited excellent biodegradability, degrading by 90 % in soil within 60 days, underscoring its significant potential for developing functional and environmentally friendly food packaging systems.

Cellulosic paper-based materials are considered to be one of the most potential candidates to replace non-degradable plastics, but the strong affinity between cellulose and water causes cellulosic paper-based materials to face the dilemma of poor water resistance and weak wet strength. Herein, a fatty acid-based hydrophobic modifier (SAT) is constructed by amidation reaction between (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane and stearic acid. The ethoxy groups in the structure of SAT can be covalently crosslinked with the hydroxyl groups of cellulose through hydrolytic condensation, thereby making cellulose paper-based materials exhibit excellent properties including (1) high mechanical properties (the dry-state tensile strength has doubled from 22.3 to 46.8 MPa, while the wet-state tensile strength has surged from 0.47 to 20.0 MPa), (2) long-term stability (mechanical properties remain almost unchanged after 40 days storage at 80% RH), (3) superb water resistance (soaked in water at 25 degrees C for 1 h, water absorption drops from 247.0% to 56.5%; at 90 degrees C, it falls from 290.5% to 82.9%), (4) eco-friendly (it can be completely degraded after being buried in soil for 90 days, or it can be recycled and reused). The aforementioned impressive performance positions SAT-modified cellulose paper as a formidable contender for plastic replacement in packaging applications.Highlights Fatty acid-based modifier (SAT) can modify cellulose by chemical bond. The low polarity of long-chain alkanes enables cellulose's hydrophobicity. Covalent crosslinking of SAT with cellulose ensures superb strength SAT paper is an unrivaled combination of degradability and recycling.

This work demonstrates the development of room-temperature curable and durable anti-soiling coating using fluorine functionalized mesoporous silica (F-SiO2) and silicone resin-based hydrophobic coatings. The use of silicone resin with a catalyst enabled room-temperature curing of the coating and enhanced its mechanical properties. The coating prepared from mesoporous silica and F-SiO2 exhibited contact angles of 102 degrees and 122 degrees, indicating a significant improvement in the wettability of F-SiO2-based coatings. Additionally, the transmittance values were 93 % and 94 %, respectively, which are comparable to those of bare PV cover glass. A soiling study of the fabricated coating was conducted in an outdoor environment for over one month. The results confirmed that the F-SiO2-based hydrophobic coatings showed a minimal transmittance loss compared to non-coated PV cover glass. The durability of the F-SiO2-based coating was confirmed by mechanical properties like adhesive strength (1.86 MPa) and hardness (4H). The photo-conversion efficiency of the F-SiO2 coated PV module was measured in an indoor soiling environment using wind cleaning action. It was observed that the module regained its photoconversion efficiency after only one minute of wind cleaning. These results indicate that the prepared coatings have a significant potential for practical application in PV industry.

In this study, Qinghai silty clay was hydrophobically modified, and its engineering properties, including water-blocking performance, strength characteristics, and durability, were investigated under varying hydrophobic agent contents and compaction degrees. The findings reveal that: (a) The prepared hydrophobic soil exhibits excellent water repellency, significantly exceeding the threshold for extreme hydrophobicity. When the hydrophobic agent content reaches approximately 13%, the water droplet infiltration time peaks, and the moisture content after immersion remains at a relatively low level. (b) The hydrophobic soil barrier layer effectively blocks the upward migration of groundwater driven by capillary action. In the column test, after 15 days of capillary water action, the water content in the upper soil layer remains nearly unchanged, and the hydrophobic soil layer retains its dryness and excellent water-blocking performance. (c) Under optimal hydrophobic agent content, the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of hydrophobic soil increases by approximately 48% to 68% compared to ordinary soil. Moreover, the strength improvement becomes more significant with higher compaction degrees. (d) Hydrophobic soil is most sensitive to alkaline environments, while its strength reduction rate in acidic and saline environments is slightly higher than in water environments. (e) It is recommended to maintain the hydrophobic agent content between 13% and 15.5% for Qinghai silty clay to achieve a balance between hydrophobicity, strength performance, and economic feasibility.

Integrating environmental robustness, energy-efficient recoatability and multi-scenario applicability into a single durable coating that can resist the accumulation of liquid, solid, and mold contaminants is critical for the sustainable development of the coatings industry, yet remains a significant challenge. Here, this issue is addressed by developing a novel hydrophilic-hydrophobic conversion strategy to engineer an environmentally robust organic/inorganic hybrid superhydrophobic coating with remarkable anti-soiling properties and pH-induced recoatability. This conversion, achieved through surface chemistry regulation incorporating hydrophobic hydrocarbon chains and aminopropyl functional groups, yields a coating with a high water contact angle (WCA) of 155.4 degrees and a low sliding angle (SA) of 1.3 degrees. Notably, the WCA can reversibly transition to 0 degrees within 15 s under pH adjustment. The wide range of the surface energy variations enables effective recoatability and restores surface wettability in damaged coatings, with an adhesion strength up to 5.34 MPa, allowing for the in-situ reuse of old coatings. The uniform distribution of modified silica nanoparticles within semi-cured epoxy matrix imparts satisfactory environmental durability, allowing the composite coating to retain its superhydrophobicity after enduring various harsh conditions, including 100 cycles of sandpaper abrasion, 70 cycles of tape-peeling, 120 h of water immersion, and 168 h of heat and humidity exposure. Additionally, the coating demonstrates enhanced anti-mold performance, achieving a grade 1 rating. This work introduces a novel design and fabrication method for multifunctional pH-triggered recoatable superhydrophobic coatings with enhanced environmental robustness that significantly extends their lifespan and adaptability.

Silty clay is widely distributed in seasonally frozen zones in China and frequently engages in engineering projects. Nevertheless, it exhibits significant frost susceptibility and generates substantial related freezing damage. To address this problem, this study investigates the impact of nano-zinc oxide (ZnO) on silty clay's frost heave characteristic. We conducted tests on silty clay with varying nano-ZnO contents, assessing plasticity limit, liquid limit, frost heave, and uniaxial compressive strength. The findings reveal that: (1) the addition of nano-ZnO can decrease the free water content, and result in both the plastic limit and the liquid limit increase, and further accelerate the freezing process, which is helpful to mitigate the frost heave caused by water migration; (2) the frost heave ratio decreases with increasing nano-ZnO content within the tested range, 4.0% addition of nano-ZnO can significantly reduce frost heave by 66.96%, and transform the silty clay from extreme frost heave to frost heave; (3) with the nano-ZnO content increases, the uniaxial compressive strengths of the specimen initially increases (0%-3.0%) and subsequently decreases (4.0%), and the brittleness also becomes more pronounced. According to the results of mechanical and frost heave tests, the optimal content of nano-ZnO is ascertained to be 3.0%. The results of this study provide a promising solution to mitigate the frost heave of silty clay, particularly in regions with limited coarse-grained soil.

As an important part of human cultural heritage, earthen sites are subject to damage caused by a variety of environmental factors, such as cracking, weathering, and flooding. Due to the low mechanical strength of earthen site materials, especially in humid environments, they are susceptible to hazards like moisture penetration, freeze-thaw cycles, and biological invasion. Superhydrophobic coatings show promising potential in the protection of earthen sites, with key properties that include waterproof performance, breathability, robustness, and transparency. By exploring various material systems and preparation methods, the current state of research on the protection of building materials with superhydrophobic materials has been demonstrated, highlighting advantages in the corrosion resistance, self-cleaning, frost prevention, anti-scaling, and other aspects. At the same time, it also points out the challenges faced in the practical application of earthen site protection and the prospects for future research. These include enhancing the bonding strength between the coating and soil particles, improving durability and breathability, and developing large-scale, low-cost, and efficient coating construction techniques.

Functional membranes that are both robust and porous with selective wettability find widespread application in oil/water separation processes. This study used polyacrylonitrile (PAN), surfactant-modified cellulose nanocrystals (H-CNC) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as the raw materials to prepare a nanofibrous membrane (HCNC/PPAN) with a strong loess-beam-like structure using the electrospinning and sacrificing template strategy. Surfactant adsorption enabled stable dispersion of H-CNC within the polymer matrix. The tensile strength and Young's modulus were 7.46 +/- 0.36 MPa and 150.66 +/- 33.12 MPa, respectively, which represent an increase by 3.15 times and 1.89 times when compared to the corresponding values of the PAN membrane. The H-CNC/PPAN membrane obtained a good pore size distribution after removing PVP by water etching, as a result of the formation of furrows and micro-meso-pores. Moreover, the etching process effectively improved the mechanical properties of the membranes. Based on the presence of hydroxyl and amide groups on the membrane surface, the membrane displayed pre-wetting induced underwater superoleophobicity and underoil superhydrophobicity. Driven by gravity, an ultra-high permeation flux of 7210.51 L & sdot;m � 2 & sdot;h- 1 and a separation efficiency of over 98.93% were achieved. Thanks to its excellent oil repellency and good resistance to acid, alkali and salt, the HCNC/PAN membrane is highly sustainable and has broad potential applications in the field of oil/water separation.