Bio-based lightweight materials have attracted significant
attention from both academia and industry as sustainable alternatives to
fossil-based materials.1,2 Although some bio-based lightweight materials have
been successfully studied so far, most of them are often not fully bio-based
and their fabrication involve the use of organic solvent and sometimes
complicated process.  Here in we report
the feasible and green strategy for fabrication of hydrophobic bio-based foam
with enhanced mechanical strength. 
Cellulose has emerged as a highly promising resource for developing a
range of products that can facilitate the transition from a fossil-based
economy to a bioeconomy.3,4 However, environmental humidity and water
absorption behavior significantly impact the properties of cellulosic
products. As a result, modifications of cellulosic substrates are necessary
to enhance their durability in humid conditions. Here, we disclose how to
perform a one-pot reaction to design a hydrophobic bio-based foam with high
mechanical properties. Bleached Cheri-thermomechanical (BCTMP) was used for
fabrication of hydrophobic foams in this study. The process involves the
preparation of an organocatalytic aqueous formulation (OAF), which is
initiated by alkoxysilane polymerization, and the subsequent application of
this OAF in the foam fabrication process.5 The combination of OAF, a
sustainable polyelectrolyte and pulp, resulted in a hydrophobic foam with
high strength property (E-modulus improved from 2.75 to 22 kPa).6 Elemental
mapping images show an even distribution of the OAF at the lignocellulosic
fibers of the foam. The fabricated bio-based hydrophobic foam has a great
potential for decontamination applications such as removal of oil from water.
All ingredients are approved as non-toxic chemicals and can be readily
provided in large quantities, which allows for scalability in a
cost-effective manner.