Sustainable ultra-strong thermally conductive wood-based antibacterial structural materials with anti-corrosion and ultraviolet shielding

Abstract

In light of the uprising global development on sustainability, an innovative and environmental friendly wood-based material derived from natural pinewood has been developed as a high-performance alternative to petrochemical-based materials. The wood-based functional material, named as BC-CaCl₂, is synthesized through the coordination of carboxyl groups (−COOH) present in pinewood with calcium ions (Ca²⁺), which facilitates the formation of a high-density cross-linking structure through the combined action of intermolecular hydrogen bonds. The as-prepared BC-CaCl₂ exhibits excellent tensile strength (470.5 MPa) and flexural strength (539.5 MPa), establishing a robust structural basis for the materials. Meanwhile, BC-CaCl₂ shows good water resistance, thermal conductivity, thermal stability, UV resistance, corrosion resistance, and antibacterial properties. BC-CaCl₂ represents a viable alternative to petrochemical-based materials. Its potential application areas include waterproof enclosure structure of buildings, indoor underfloor heating, outdoor UV resistant protective cover, and anti-corrosion materials for installation engineering, and so forth.