Cellulose has attracted considerable attention as the most promising potential candidate raw material for the production of bio-based polymeric materials. In the last decade, significant progress has been made in the production of biopolymers based on different cellulose forms. In this study, cellulose was obtained in an innovative and environmentally friendly way, using boxwood powder. Crude cellulose was obtained by treating Buxus powder with an ethanol–acetic acid–water mixture. Refined cellulose was then obtained by treatment with an acidic sodium hypochlorite solution and alkaline hydrogen peroxide solution. The novel chemistry of cellulose prepared by this method promises to be not only green, but also highly desirable, because of its lower emissions and low cost. It is crucial for the future of the global polymer industry. The refined cellulose was subjected to a high-temperature hydrothermal treatment under two temperatures and time conditions, with temperature gradients of 120, 140, and 160 °C, and time gradients of 1, 2, and 3 h. The samples were subjected to infrared and thermogravimetric analyses. The cellulose undergoes dehydration and thermal degradation reactions during the heat treatment process, and the thermal stability of the residual is enhanced, compared with that of virgin cellulose. Between 120 and 140 °C, the hydroxyl and hypomethyl groups on the surface of cellulose are shed. Groups in the amorphous region of the polymer are the first to be shed. The dehydration reaction reduces the number of free hydroxyl groups on the surface of the cellulose molecules. The dehydration reaction was accelerated by an increase in temperature. Between 140 and 160 °C, the β-(1,4)-glycosidic bond begins to slowly break and some furans are generated. The structure of cellulose undergoes reorganization during thermal treatment. The thermal stability of the modified material is greater than that of untreated cellulose.

The rapid expansion of the smart home sector has necessitated the development of multifunctional, high-performance materials for intelligent furniture applications. By harnessing lignin as a novel natural binder and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MW-CNTs) as conductive fillers, this study demonstrates a synergistic strategy to enhance thermal/electrical conductivity while preserving the inherent sustainability of biomass materials. Specifically, we introduce a lignin-mediated biocomposite addressing three critical challenges: escalating electrostatic discharge risks in indoor environments, thermal management requirements for integrated smart devices, and inefficient heat transfer in low-temperature radiant floor systems. The composites were fabricated using poplar wood flour—a renewable agroforestry residue—and MW-CNTs, with lignin serving as a dual-functional agent to eliminate synthetic adhesives. Alkaline pretreatment enhanced cellulose reactivity by removing hemicellulose, while lignin formed robust interfacial bonds with wood fibers and MW-CNTs through hydrogen bonding and interactions during hot-pressing. Mechanical blending promoted the homogeneous dispersion of MW-CNTs, and hot-pressing induced physical interlocking and chemical cross-linking. Characterization revealed exceptional mechanical properties (static flexural strength: 126.56 MPa; tensile strength: 118.65 MPa) and functional performance, including electrical conductivity (3.16 × 10⁵ Ω m) and thermal conductivity (0.806 W (m⁻¹ K⁻¹)). Life cycle assessment indicates that biocomposites have a lower environmental impact than both polyethylene and poly(vinyl chloride). This unique combination of properties makes biocomposites an effective antistatic and thermally conductive household material that shows strong potential as a replacement for traditional petroleum-based materials and represents an important step towards a safer, more environmentally sustainable and energy-efficient future.

To shorten the measuring time of formaldehyde emissions from wood-based panels and reduce the costs of quality control processes during industrial furniture production, more efficient methods for measuring formaldehyde emissions from wood-based panels need to be developed. In this study, the formaldehyde emissions from 18-mm-thick veneered particleboard were measured using the desiccator method and the 1 m³ climate chamber method according to Chinese national standard GB/T17657-2013, and the correlation between these two methods was determined. Through a correlation analysis of 60 groups of data, the results indicated that the linear correlation coefficient (R) between two methods was 0.718, and the regression model was established, which by F and P values demonstrated a significant correlation at the 0.01 level of significance. As long as the quality of materials and the production processes remained consistent, the desiccator method was reliable enough for conducting routine quality control measurements of formaldehyde emissions from veneered boards of 18 mm thickness. In case of dispute, the results can be verified using the 1 m³ climate chamber method for accuracy.

In the context of high-quality development, environmental issues are being paid more and more attention to, and the release of free formaldehyde has become a major problem that needs to be solved. Glueless plywood mainly adopts natural substances as raw materials, without adding chemical products, such as resin adhesives, and it does not contain harmful substances, such as formaldehyde. Glueless plywood is a green product that causes no pollution in the environment and no harm to the human body. In this study, the corresponding weak-phase components in boxwood were pre-delivered by an acidic environmental treatment, and the high-temperature and high-pressure compacting process produced a glueless boxwood panel with excellent water resistance and mechanical properties, while remaining environmentally friendly.

The photocatalytic degradation of formaldehyde by graphite-like C₃N₄ is one of the most attractive and environmentally friendly strategies to address the significant threat to human health posed by indoor air pollutants. Despite its potential, this degradation process still faces issues with suboptimal efficiency, which may be attributed to the rapid recombination of photogenerated excitons and the broad band gap. As a proof of concept, a series of graphite-like C₃N₄@C₆₀ composites combining graphite-like C₃N₄ and C₆₀ was developed via an in situ generation strategy. The obtained graphite-like C₃N₄@C₆₀ composites exhibited a remarkable increase in the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of formaldehyde, of up to 99%, under visible light irradiation, outperforming pure graphite-like C₃N₄ and C₆₀. This may be due to the composites’ enhanced built-in electric field. Additionally, the proposed composites maintained a formaldehyde removal efficiency of 84% even after six cycles, highlighting their potential for indoor air purification and paving the way for the development of efficient photocatalysts.

Desiccator method is a fast and effective way to measure formaldehyde emissions from wood-based panels. This method is popular in the Chinese furniture industry and testing institutions. It is also an important method for production control due to its characteristics of low cost, fast speed, and simple operation. In order to further increase the measurement speed of the desiccator method, this study focuses on the impact of temperature and time conditions in regard to standard GB/T 17657-2013. The corresponding relationships for the measurement of formaldehyde emissions between the standardized desiccator method and those under different temperature and time conditions were studied. Four different experimental conditions were used: 60 °C for 6 h, 40 °C for 6 h, 43 °C for 4 h, and 45 °C for 4 h. The results showed that under 40 °C for 6 h the formaldehyde emissions measured using desiccator method were about twice as much as those under 20 °C for 24 h, at a correlation coefficient of R = 0.820. Under 45 °C for 4 h, the formaldehyde emissions measured using desiccator method were almost near equilibrium to emissions under 20 °C for 24 h, which was supported by a correlation coefficient of R = 0.955. A corresponding relationship between the formaldehyde emissions measurement results under these two conditions and those under the standardized conditions was observed. This relationship can be applied in the actual production control in the furniture industry in order to shorten the formaldehyde measurement time from 24 h to 6 h and 4 h, which can greatly improve measurement efficiency.