Science and Technology Daily, Beijing, May 15 (intern reporter Zhang Jiaxin) In the future, people may be able to use A4 paper to package milk tea with the help of coating.

According to a study published on the 13th in the journal "Research in Industrial and Engineering Chemistry" published by the American Chemical Society, researchers at the University of Tokyo in Japan have found for the first time a simple, economical and efficient method to "endow" some properties of plastics to relative Among sustainable paper materials, a coating called Choetsu not only makes the paper waterproof, but also keeps it elastic and biodegradable.

  "In my opinion, the main problem with plastic materials is that they cannot degrade quickly and safely." said Quanji Hiroi, a professor at the Institute of Solid State Physics at the University of Tokyo. Although materials like paper can be safely degraded, they cannot meet a wide range of plastic materials. use.

Now, the new method can give paper some of the good properties of plastic, but without any negative impact on the environment.

  Choetsu is a combination of materials that, when applied to paper, spontaneously creates a strong waterproof film when it comes into contact with moisture in the air.

The coating consists of safe and low-cost chemicals, mainly methyltrimethoxysilane, some isopropanol, and a small amount of tetraisopropyl titanate.

Structures made of paper, such as food containers, are sprayed or dipped into this coating and dried at room temperature. Once dry, a thin layer of silica containing methyl groups is deposited on the cellulose that makes up the paper formed to provide strong waterproof performance.

  In addition, the reactions that take place during the coating process automatically create a layer of titanium dioxide nanoparticles that create dirt and bacteria-repellent properties that protect the coated item for an extended period of time.

Over time, all the chemicals involved in the coating break down into harmless substances like carbon, water and sandy silica.

  Hiroi Quanji said he hopes to use this method for other types of materials in the future.

At the same time, the liquid composition can be adjusted for other materials, creating a stain- and mildew-resistant coating that can be applied on glass, ceramics and even other plastics.