Lignin-carbohydrate complex simulated biodegradable film with excellent strength and negligible environmental impact

The persistent accumulation of traditional plastic films and their environmental burden have created an urgent need for biodegradable alternatives. However, developing biodegradable plastic films that simultaneously exhibit excellent mechanical performance, stability, and rapid degradation in natural environments remains a significant challenge. In this study, we present a novel approach inspired by the crosslinking mechanism of lignin-carbohydrate complexes (LCC). Using epoxy-terminated polyethylene glycol (ETPEG 400 ), a hemicellulose-like matrix material with high crosslinking potential, we integrated it with lignin and cellulose nanofibers (CNF) to develop high-performance and rapidly biodegradable plastic films. The resulting Lignin-ETPEG 400 -CNF (LEC) films feature a dense structural network, achieved through continuous molecular rearrangement during rehydration and dehydration processing. This unique structure provides the films with exceptional mechanical strength (29 MPa), hydrophobicity, and thermal stability (T m  = 148.5 °C). Furthermore, compared to conventional plastic films, the LEC films drastically reduce environmental impact, safely degrading in natural environments with minimal ecological footprint.