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

Abstract Owing to non-degradable waste plastics caused serious environmental pollution, 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.