Revolutionary Cellulose Sheet Shields Radioactive Elements

Researchers at University of Tsukuba have developed a cellulose-based composite sheet that integrates paper pulp with starch, polyaniline (a conductive polymer), Prussian blue (a coordination compound), and alginic acid (a natural polysaccharide). These components were assembled into layered structures using a traditional papermaking technique. The resulting sheet exhibits efficient simultaneous adsorption and immobilization of radioactive elements, including cesium, iodine, and strontium. By incorporating functional polymers into cellulose fibers or through chemical modification of cellulose at the molecular level, composite materials with a wide range of practical applications can be produced, such as oil-resistant food packaging, filtration media, and electromagnetic shielding sheets. In a study published in the journal Composite Interfaces, four cellulose-based composites were prepared by combining paper pulp individually with starch, polyaniline, Prussian blue, and alginic acid. These composites were subsequently stacked and processed into a single integrated sheet using conventional papermaking methods, enabling uniform integration of cellulose and functional polymers. The resulting composite demonstrates the ability to adsorb and block hazardous radioactive species, including cesium, iodine, and strontium, in a single step, highlighting its potential for environmental contamination control.