Cellulose/PEO blends with enhanced water absorption and retention functionality

This study introduces a novel biodegradable material produced from processing cellulose and regenerating it in aqueous high-molecular-weight polyethylene oxide (PEO). X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopic analysis show that the blend is highly amorphous and contains a networked structure of cellulose with packets of PEO encapsulated within the network. Thermal analysis shows that the water loss from the blend is much slower than that from cotton at temperatures above the boiling point of water, which proves enhanced water absorption and retention properties of the material. It is found that when the material is mixed with sand, up to 1% by weight, the amount of time of water retention in sand increases more than three times. Because of this characteristic, it could be used to improve water storage and availability in sandy soils and to reduce irrigation costs in arid climates.