One-Pot Synthesis of Degradable and Renewable Cellulose-Based Packaging Films

Among all of the plastic pollutants, cling packaging films pose a particularly complex problem due to their high consumption, poor reusability, difficulty in recycling, and nondegradability. Despite many efforts by researchers to develop alternatives to plastic cling films, none of the alternatives have been satisfactory. Here, cellulose-based active packaging films that are degradable, renewable, and reusable were prepared by one-pot green synthesis of silver-based metal–organic frameworks on carboxymethyl cellulose (Ag-2MI@CMC). The preparation process is simple (water solvent system with normal temperature and normal pressure). The Ag-2MI@CMC composite film exhibits better performance than commercial PE films, including (1) better mechanical properties and antifog performance, Ag-2MI@CMC film has a high tensile strength of about 61 MPa, while that of commercial PE films is only about 35 MPa, (2) excellent antimicrobial properties, including bacteria and mold, while commercial PE films did not exhibit any antibacterial properties, (3) better fruit preservation than commercial PE cling films, (4) high natural degradability (complete degradation takes only about 45 days, during which time the commercial PE film does not degrade at all), and (5) renewable and reusable more than five times, the recycled Ag-2MI@CMC film still maintains good mechanical strength and fruit preservation effect. Given the low raw material cost and superior performance of the composite film, one-pot green synthesis of cellulose-based active packaging films may be a suitable solution to solve the environmental challenges brought by the high volume of the plastic packaging films.