Rice-leaf-inspired high-strength and multifunctional superhydrophobic paper using flaky beeswax particles and amino-modified SiO2 within coatings

Superhydrophobic paper offers great promise for applications from daily life to artistic creation and cultural preservation, whereas, the difficulties of transparency, simplicity, mechanical fragility and green sustainability limit its implementation. Inspired by the superhydrophobicity of rice leaves, herein, micro-sized flaky beeswax particles were prepared and creatively mixed with hydrophilic nano-sized amino-modified SiO 2 in diverse ratios, and subsequently sprayed onto polydimethylsiloxane-pretreated Xuan paper surface for obtaining transparent (transmittance value of 37.4% ∼ 43.9%>original paper of 36.6%) superhydrophobic coatings coupled with acid-alkali-resistance, self-cleaning property, and mechanical durability. When the ratio of beeswax particles to SiO 2 is 1:9, the coating maintained its superhydrophobicity (≥150°) after exposure to tape peeling, sandpaper abrasion, finger rubbing, and acid-alkali corrosion (pH = 5, 10). Meanwhile, this coating achieves a 36.7% increase in tensile strength of paper relative to the original one. The superior protective mechanism arises from the strong coating-paper interfacial adhesion, uniform SiO 2 distribution, and the dule role of a spot of beeswax particles in providing both binding and low surface energy. This strategy yields a balanced solution for water-repellent Xuan paper that combines simplicity, sustainability, high strength, and multi-functionality, making it suitable for fragile paper applications.