Waste Paper as a Valuable Resource: An Overview of Recent Trends in the Polymeric Composites Field

Abstract

This review focuses on polymeric waste-paper composites, including state-of-the-art analysis with quantitative and qualitative discussions. Waste paper is a valuable cellulose-rich material, produced mainly from office paper, newspaper, and paper sludge, which can be recycled and returned to paper production or used in a new life cycle. A systematic literature review found 75 publications on this material over the last 27 years, with half of those published during the last five years. These data represent an increasing trend in the number of publications and citations that have shown an interest in this field. Most of them investigated the physicomechanical properties of composites using different contents of raw waste paper or the treated, modified, and cellulose-extracted types. The results show that polyethylene and polypropylene are the most used matrices, but polylactic acid, a biodegradable/sourced polymer, has the most citations. The scientific relevance of waste-paper composites as a subject includes the increasing trend of the number of publications and citations over the years, as well as the gaps identified by keyword mapping and the qualitative discussion of the papers. Therefore, biopolymers and biobased polymers could be investigated more, as well as novel applications. The environmental impact in terms of stability and degradation should also receive more attention regarding sustainability and life cycle analyses.

Improving the Physical and Mechanical Properties of Mycelium-Based Green Composites Using Paper Waste

“…Importantly, the weight of the finished composites increased slightly when compared to the composites without the addition of paper waste. This outcome is in accordance with previous studies that indicated that paper waste provides a good filler material for improving the properties of composite materials, particularly when the density attributes need to be improved [ 22 , 23 , 27 , 47 ].…”

“…Several previous studies have utilized paper waste to improve the qualities of various composite materials because cellulose fibers are known for their high strength and stiffness. When these cellulose fibers are mixed into composite materials, they can reinforce the matrix material [ 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 ].…”

Phytic acid-modified waste paper-derived cellulose for lanthanum capture: fabrication concept and affinity mechanism

“…Waste paper has a high cellulose content. 25 Paper constitutes the second largest component of global municipal solid waste. Recycling paper reduces energy consumption for the production of new materials.…”

From Waste Paper to Cellulose: Building Environmental Awareness by Chemical Technology from Pragmatistic Pedagogy

“…The use of paper has shown an explosive growth trend in the past decades, which has not only caused the decrease of trees but also caused great damage to the atmospheric environment. , Cellulose, as the main component in paper, has the characteristics of renewability and biodegradability and is an environmentally friendly material with a wide range of uses. , Nowadays, cellulose has become an important part of many high-tech fields (such as the chemical industry, materials, medical treatment, etc. ). − At the same time, cellulose is also one of the common polysaccharides that are often used to discuss its internal structure and bonding in the teaching of polymer chemistry .…”