Volume 62, Issue 50 e202310995
Research Article

Biodegradable Dual-Network Cellulosic Composite Bioplastic Metafilm for Plastic Substitute

Dong Wang

Dong Wang

Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, 999077 China

Key Laboratory of Eco-Textile, College of Textile Science and Engineering, Jiangnan University, Jiangsu, 214122 China

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Shuo Shi

Shuo Shi

Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, 999077 China

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Yanyun Mao

Yanyun Mao

Key Laboratory of Eco-Textile, College of Textile Science and Engineering, Jiangnan University, Jiangsu, 214122 China

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Leqi Lei

Leqi Lei

Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, 999077 China

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Shaohai Fu

Shaohai Fu

Key Laboratory of Eco-Textile, College of Textile Science and Engineering, Jiangnan University, Jiangsu, 214122 China

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Jinlian Hu

Corresponding Author

Jinlian Hu

Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, 999077 China

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First published: 29 October 2023
Citations: 16

Graphical Abstract

The novel dual-network design strategy is proposed to prepare a high-performance cellulosic composite bioplastic metafilm with exceptional mechanical toughness (23.5 MJ m−3), flame retardance, and solvent resistance. Moreover, it has a high maximum usage temperature (245 °C), lower thermal expansion coefficient (15.19 ppm °C−1), good biocompatibility, and natural biodegradation, which is competitive for plastic substitute.

Abstract

With the escalating environmental and health concerns over petroleum-based plastics, sustainable and biodegradable cellulosic materials are a promising alternative to plastics, yet remain unsatisfied properties such as fragility, inflammability and water sensitivity for practical usage. Herein, we present a novel dual-network design strategy to address these limitations and fabricate a high-performance cellulosic composite bioplastic metafilm with the exceptional mechanical toughness (23.5 MJ m−3), flame retardance, and solvent resistance by in situ growth of cyclotriphosphazene-bridged organosilica network within bacterial cellulose matrix. The phosphorus, nitrogen-containing organosilica network, verified by the experimental and theoretical results, plays a triple action on significantly enhancing tensile strength, toughness, flame retardance and water resistance of composite bioplastic metafilm. Furthermore, cellulosic bioplastic composite metafilm demonstrates a higher maximum usage temperature (245 °C), lower thermal expansion coefficient (15.19 ppm °C−1), and better solvent resistance than traditional plastics, good biocompatibility and natural biodegradation. Moreover, the composite bioplastic metafilm have a good transparency of average 74 % and a high haze over 80 %, which can serve as an outstanding substrate substitute for commercial polyethylene terephthalate film to address the demand of flexible ITO films. This work paves a creative way to design and manufacture the competitive bioplastic composite to replace daily-used plastics.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available in the supplementary material of this article.

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