Professor Jungmok You of the Department of Convergent Biotechnology and Advanced Materials Science has developed a new method to convert agricultural waste products into high-value nanomaterials

Professor You’s research team has transformed rice husks, an abundant agricultural waste product, into high-performance films that are both eco-friendly and effective at blocking ultraviolet (UV) rays. Made from lignocellulose nanofibers (LCNFs), the films offer a sustainable solution for managing light and could be used in applications ranging from UV-protection masks to energy-efficient building materials. The research was published online on July 14, 2025, in Chemical Engineering Journal under the title, “Lignin-tailored lignocellulose nanofiber films for light management using a deep eutectic solvent.”

Lignocellulose, a major component of plant cell walls, is found in materials such as wood, rice straw, and grass, and is one of the most abundant biomasses on Earth. LCNFs contain both lignin and cellulose, giving them exceptional mechanical strength, thermal stability, moisture resistance, and UV-absorbing capability. In conventional cellulose extraction, lignin is typically removed. Professor You’s team, however, set out to create a process that retains lignin and takes full advantage of its properties.

The researchers used a deep eutectic solvent (DES), a green, reusable solvent, to process rice husks without a separate lignin extraction process, while precisely controlling lignin content to fine-tune the films’ light transmittance, UV-blocking performance, and optical haze. The resulting films combine high strength and flexibility with the ability to block more than 99% of UVB rays and over 80% of UVA rays, while also scattering light. Depending on their lignin content, the films can be tailored for different light-management needs and applied in UV-protection masks, biodegradable display films, and other products. In addition, the DES catalyst can be recovered and reused, ensuring both environmental sustainability and cost efficiency.

Professor You concluded, “This work shows that agricultural waste products like rice husks can be turned into high-value nanomaterials, while also offering a cost-effective way to produce eco-friendly films with light-management capabilities. We see strong potential for this technology to be applied across many industries, from advanced light-shielding materials to biodegradable display films and energy-efficient building materials.” The study was supported by the Nano and Material Technology Development Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea, funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT.