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The formaldehyde emission performance of wood-based panels treated with temperature-sensitive microcapsules was evaluated in this study. Formaldehyde scavenger-filled microcapsules were synthesized by the emulsion-solvent method using ethylcellulose and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) as shell materials containing urea. The results demonstrated that the temperature-sensitive microcapsules exhibited perfect core–shell structures at a core/shell/PNIPAM ratio of 2:2:1. The loading capacity and loading efficiency of the functional core material of the microcapsules reached 33% and 59%, respectively. Compared with untreated panels, panels based on the temperature-sensitive microcapsule scavenger had better performance in controlling free formaldehyde emissions, the formaldehyde emission of treated panels decreased by 42% and 41% at room temperature and 40°C, respectively. The results indicated that the reason why the wood-based panels had a long-term low-level emission was that the microcapsules showed different release behaviour at different temperature, so they have different release paths and release principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is crucial and significant to boost the utilization of renewable resources and exploitation of biodegradable materials alternative to petrochemical plastics. Waste paper, mainly composed of cellulose (82–95 wt%) and derived from the lignocellulose, is a type of abundant, renewable, and biodegradable resource, whose recycling use and conversion to high value‐added products can reduce the pressure on the environment and exert immense economic benefits. Herein, four kinds of common waste paper (e.g., printing paper, newspaper, straw paper and roll paper) were converted into cellulose‐based bioplastic membranes by using ionic liquid 1‐butyl‐3‐methyl‐imidazolium chloride as solvent. The cellulose‐based membranes are smooth and compact, and their mechanical strength is prominently improved about 3–100 times comparison with the original paper. The maximum tensile strength of the film (F4) is over 127 Mpa and its optical transmittance reaches 80% at 450–800 nm wavelength. Besides, this kind of cellulose‐based films have excellent biodegradability. Thus, the results demonstrated that the cellulose‐based bioplastic membranes stemmed from waste paper possess a magnificent application prospect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]