Tough and biodegradable film from modified carboxymethyl cellulose crosslinked gelatin

Qi Zhang; Jian Zhang; Qingwei Ping; Zhihui Sui; Hongbin Li

doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.145510

Tough and biodegradable film from modified carboxymethyl cellulose crosslinked gelatin

Int J Biol Macromol. 2025 Jun 24;319(Pt 3):145510. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.145510. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Qi Zhang¹, Jian Zhang², Qingwei Ping³, Zhihui Sui⁴, Hongbin Li⁴

Affiliations

¹ College of Light Industry and Chemical Engineering, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, China; College of Light Industry and Textiles, Qiqihar University, Qiqihar 161006, China.
² College of Light Industry and Chemical Engineering, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, China. Electronic address: zhangjian@dlpu.edu.cn.
³ College of Light Industry and Chemical Engineering, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, China.
⁴ College of Light Industry and Textiles, Qiqihar University, Qiqihar 161006, China.

PMID: 40571035
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.145510

Abstract

Gelatin's renewable and biodegradable properties establish it as a promising alternative to fossil-based plastics. However, extensive intermolecular hydrogen bonding in gelatin restricts chain mobility, resulting in limited processing capabilities. This study utilizes aldehyde-functionalized carboxymethyl cellulose fibers as a cross-linking agent for gelatin, enhancing intermolecular interactions by substituting hydrogen bonds with dynamic covalent bonds. Through modification of the dynamic covalent network structure, the gelatin film exhibits substantially improved mechanical and thermal properties, achieving a fracture stress of 26.85 ± 1.87 MPa and fracture strain of 65.0 ± 3.5 %, enabling it to support a 1 kg weight effectively. Furthermore, the film demonstrates superior resistance to water and UV radiation, coupled with exceptional self-healing capabilities, biodegradability, and recyclability. The production process for the gelatin film remains straightforward and excludes harmful solvents. These collective characteristics establish gelatin-based plastics as a viable substitute for fossil-based plastics, offering a sustainable solution for high-performance applications.

Keywords: Biodegradability; Crosslinked; Dynamic; Film; Gelatin.