Preparation of modified nano-zinc oxide-based multifunctional polymer soil stabilizer materials for controlling soil erosion and environmental remediation

Loess stabilizer technologies offer potential solutions for mitigating soil erosion. However, it faces significant challenges, including scalability, environmental compatibility and multifunctional integration. Therefore, there is an urgent need for novel strategies to mitigate soil erosion problem. In this study, a multifunctional polymer soil stabilizer (MPSS) was synthesized through modified nano-zinc oxide copolymerizing with acrylic acid and as an effective additive to prevent soil erosion. Loess particle size, bulk density, porosity, and microstructural changes during material addition were studied systematically. It was worth noting that addition of 0.50 % MPSS to soil extends the soil anti-scouring duration to 83.0 h with erosion degree decreased from 100 % to 45.00 % (a 55.00 % reduction), representing an increase in anti-erosion time by a factor of 1000. The Unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of loess was increased by a factor of 14, respectively. It exhibited better water retention, plant compatibility and soil structure stability. In summary, we provided a novel and efficient synthetic strategy for polymeric soil stabilizers. The MPSS was expected to be applied to control soil erosion, contributing to soil-water resources, agricultural development and environmental remediation.