A cellulose/lignin composite membrane with photothermal de-icing properties for low carbon agricultural cultivation

Rice straw and lignin is used to from a cellulose/lignin composite membrane (CLCM) with photothermal de-icing properties. • Lignin incorporation boosts CLCM UV–Vis absorption (0.07 → 0.95), improving photothermal de-icing and UV resistance. • CLCM shortens ice slide by 72 s under 1 kW/m 2 solar radiation compared to CM. • CLCM can improve the germination rate and growth of soybean and Chinese cabbage. Agricultural films tend to freeze in low-temperature environments, causing a sharp decline in light transmission and thermal insulation properties, which severely hampers productivity in protected agriculture. The accumulation of ice layers intensifies the loss of light energy and heat dissipation, posing a severe threat to the stability of the crop growth environment. Here, a cellulose/lignin composite membrane with photothermal de-icing properties was prepared by green recombination technology using agricultural waste rice straw as raw materials. The activated cellulose is prepared by the extraction and activation process using rice straw as raw material, and the lignin/cellulose composite membranes is prepared by solution blending, scraping, and solution replacement. Due to the introduction of lignin, the CLCM exhibited a marked enhancement in absorption intensity (from 0.07 to 0.95) across the UV–visible spectrum (200–800 nm), which effectively improves its photothermal de-icing performance and UV resistance properties. Photothermal de-icing properties results show that under the solar radiation of 1 kW·m −2 , the complete sliding time of ice on the surface of CLCM is 72 s shorter than the CM, showing excellent de-icing performance. Under simulated light radiation, three temperature test point temperature in the self-made experimental device under CLCM coverage increases with the illumination time. In addition, Chinese cabbage and soybean germination rates reached 85 % and 83.3 % respectively under CLCM coverage, showing significantly stronger growth than under PE film coverage and no mulching. The developed photothermal deicing agricultural film effectively maintains optical and thermal properties by actively removing ice, providing a promising strategy to enhance the resilience of protected agricultural systems.