Manuscript received April 15, 2026; accepted May 11, 2026; published June 15, 2026
Abstract—In the context of growing environmental concerns and the need for sustainable alternatives to conventional synthetic waterproof materials, this study explores the use of natural plant-based waterproof materials through a literature review and case analysis. The paper employs reed- and palm-leaf-based materials as eco-friendly waterproof materials to explore their chemical composition, waterproof performance, and mechanistic differences. Palm leaf-based materials depend on surface wax extraction to prepare hydrophobic coatings, with the wax components limiting water-matrix interactions, making them applicable to low-strength, moisture-resistant scenarios. In contrast, reed-based materials primarily rely on retaining their inherent multi-level hydrophobic structure. The structure makes reed-based materials suitable for applications requiring mechanical strength and structural stability. This research further proposes enhancement strategies, such as using natural adhesives to fill pores and diluted natural resins to surface-modify. This study provides a theoretical basis and practical reference for the targeted development and sustainable use of plant-based waterproofing materials.
Keywords—natural plant extract, waterproof material, reed-based material, palm leaf-based material, eco-friendly material, hydrophobic mechanism
Cite: Hanyan Dai, "Eco-Friendly Waterproof Materials from Natural Plants: Applications and Performance Comparison of Reed-Based and Palm Leaf-Based Materials," International Journal of Engineering and Technology, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 74-77, 2026.
Copyright © 2026 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (
CC BY 4.0).
