Green and sustainable fabrication of UV-resistance and antioxidant cotton via self-crosslinking bamboo ethanol lignin

Environmentally sustainable, non-toxic, and harmless multifunctional cotton fabrics, which are endowed with antioxidant and UV-resistant properties, exhibit considerable potential for applications in food protection and packaging. Consequently, there is an imperative need for the advancement of novel coating systems that can endow cotton fabrics with supplementary functional properties. Bamboo ethanol lignin (EL) was synthesized using a clean ethanol pulping process, and a multifunctional coating of EL was fabricated through a one-pot dipping method. In brief, EL interacts with cotton fibers via hydrogen bonding and physical adhesion, and the optimized sample, designated as Cotton@EL 1 , demonstrates outstanding antioxidant and UV-blocking properties. Compared to EL 0 , EL 1 exhibited a substantially higher antioxidant efficiency of 80.3 % and effectively blocked both UVA (99.99 %) and UVB (100 %) radiation. Furthermore, Cotton@EL 1 exhibited a UPF value of 48.2, with UV transmittance below 3 %, showcasing exceptional UV protection performance. In conclusion, this study presents a novel approach for the utilization of high-value wood materials in the development of environmentally sustainable, non-toxic, and multifunctional food protection and packaging fabrics.