Top-down fabrication of biodegradable multilayer tunicate cellulose films with controlled mechanical properties

Owing to non-degradable waste plastics causing serious environmental pollution, the development of natural polymeric materials has become an important topic. Herein, multilayer tunicate cellulose films (MTCFs) were fabricated by a top-down approach, where the alkali treated mantles of tunicate were layer-by-layer hot-pressed. Strong hydrogen bonds that formed between tunicate cellulose layers resulted in good interfacial compatibility of multilayer films. The as-prepared MTCFs exhibited improved thermal stabilities, excellent mechanical properties, and good degradability in natural soil. This work provided a top-down approach for the preparation of biodegradable multilayer films as packaging materials.

Automated summary

In this study, multilayer tunicate cellulose films were fabricated by hot-pressing the alkali treated mantles of tunicate in a layer-by-layer fashion. The strong hydrogen bonds between tunicate cellulose layers contributed to good interfacial compatibility of the multilayer films. The resulting MTCFs showed improved thermal stabilities, excellent mechanical properties, and good degradability in natural soil, providing a top-down approach for the preparation of biodegradable multilayer films as packaging materials.