A “Trojan Horse” Camouflage Strategy for High‐Performance Cellulose Paper and Separators
Fang Zhang, Xiwei Lan, Huawen Peng, Xianluo Hu, Qiang Zhao
Abstract
Abstract Lignin‐carbohydrate complexes (LCC) underpin the comprehensive properties of natural wood. Facile restoration of LCC analogues in paper is challenging because of the charge repulsion between negatively charged lignin and pulp fibrils. A camouflage strategy is discovered to prepare positively charged lignosulfonate–polyamide‐epichlorohydrin complex (LPC) nanoparticles, which are effectively incorporated in pulp through the “LPC–pulp” attraction instead of “lignosulfonate–pulp” repulsion. Water‐resistant LPC paper sheets are prepared in ≈20 min without pressurization. They exhibit high tensile strength (41 MPa), surviving boiling water treatment for 14 days, on par with the strength of pristine paper and certain plastics in a dry state. The camouflage strategy applies to various pulps and processing technologies, as exemplified by a paper separator showing exceptional electrolyte wettability and rate capability in lithium‐ion batteries. This work establishes advanced cellulose valorization with combined strength, water stability, and tailored microstructures replacing petroleum polymers in engineering and energy implications.