Paper is renewable, recyclable, sustainable and biodegradable material and, as a result, paper-based materials are widely used in the world packaging market. However, paper-based materials cannot compete with plastics in terms of processability into various 3D shapes. This is due to poor formability of paper, which is closely associated with its toughness. To improve paper formability, we report on a facile and green method that combines fiber and paper mechanical modifications at different structural levels as well as biopolymer treatment via spraying. As a result, a remarkable elongation of ∼30% was achieved after proposed combined approach on the laboratory scale. At the same time, a significant increase in tensile strength and stiffness (by ∼306% and ∼690%, respectively) was observed. Overall, an inexpensive, green, and scalable approach is introduced to improve formability of fiber networks that in turn allows preparation of 3D shapes in the processes with fixed paper blanks such as vacuum forming, hydroforming, hot pressing, etc.

Paper is renewable, recyclable, sustainable and biodegradable material and, as a result, paper-based materials are widely used in the world packaging market. However, paper-based materials cannot compete with plastics in terms of processability into various 3D shapes. This is due to poor formability of paper, which is closely associated with its toughness. To improve paper formability, we report on a facile and green method that combines fiber and paper mechanical modifications at different structural levels as well as biopolymer treatment via spraying. As a result, a remarkable elongation of ∼30% was achieved after proposed combined approach on the laboratory scale. At the same time, a significant increase in tensile strength and stiffness (by ∼306% and ∼690%, respectively) was observed. Overall, an inexpensive, green, and scalable approach is introduced to improve formability of fiber networks that in turn allows preparation of 3D shapes in the processes with fixed paper blanks such as vacuum forming, hydroforming, hot pressing, etc.