Biodegradability and recyclability of all-cellulose composite

The development of sustainable packaging materials is becoming increasingly important to address environmental issues. In this context, all-cellulose composites (ACCs) represent a potential alternative to traditional composite materials. ACC consists entirely of cellulose and has significantly improved mechanical and barrier properties compared to paper. For packaging applications, the potential for material recycling and biodegradability are of great interest. However, these topics have so far been insufficiently addressed. In this study, the biodegradability of paper and different ACCs is compared. In addition, studies on the recyclability of the material were carried out. It was demonstrated that ACC is biodegradable. The rate of biodegradation depended on the parameters during the production process. Self-produced ACC was degraded at a rate almost identical to that of paper. The process takes longer for commercially available ACC. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that material recycling of ACC in the recycling paper loop was only feasible to a limited extent. The cellulose matrix between the fibres leads to a strong binding of the composite. This makes disintegration and fibre recovery difficult. Nevertheless, ACC represents a promising approach for packaging, particularly in regard to the global issue of littering.