Chinese researchers develop new frost-resistant sand-control agent

A Chinese research team has developed a chemical sand-fixation material suitable for use in cold desert regions, which is expected to serve as a new tool for sand control and desertification prevention in such areas, according to People's Daily Online.

The application of chemical materials to stabilise shifting sands is one of the primary methods of desertification control. This approach involves the use of adhesive chemical substances to bind loose sand particles together, thereby mitigating encroachment by wind-blown sand.

However, conventional chemical sand-fixation materials have been mainly designed for hot and arid regions. In colder, high-altitude or high-latitude desert regions, such as the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and the Mongolian Plateau, which are located in northwest, southwest and north China, cooler temperatures often render traditional methods of sand control ineffective.

Researchers from the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources (NIEER), under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, modified cellulose acetate-based waterborne polyurethane sand-fixing agents by incorporating glycerol triglycidyl ether and glycerin to enhance frost resistance.

Notably, cellulose acetate can be produced from the cellulose extracted from crop straw.

Experiments have demonstrated that this novel frost-resistant sand-fixation agent exhibits excellent degradability, with the primary volatile substances released during thermal degradation being water vapour, ammonia and carbon dioxide -- ensuring no environmental pollution.

In addition, under low-temperature conditions of minus 20 degrees Celsius, the consolidation strength of this sand-fixation agent remains stable, a critical feature necessary for high-altitude and high-latitude desert regions.

Field applications in Gonghe County, northwest China's Qinghai Province, have proven that this agent not only effectively stabilises shifting sands but also promotes plant growth, thus providing robust support for ecological restoration in desert areas.

"The environmental conditions in cold desert regions are extremely harsh. Sand-fixation materials must not only possess strong low-temperature resistance but also exhibit excellent oxygen permeability and hydrophilic antifreeze properties -- all without hindering the germination of plant seeds," said Liu Benli, a researcher from the NIEER.

Industrialisation of this scientific research achievement will also promote the development of the environmentally friendly sand-fixation materials industry, Liu added.

 WAM