Fully Biobased Highly Transparent Nanopaper with UV-Blocking Functionality

Abstract

The development of green alternatives for petroleum-based plastics is essential for the protection of our environment and its ecosystems. Here, we demonstrate broadband UV-blocking, highly transparent composite nanopaper films from a waste source of cellulose nanofibrils with embedded tunable UV-absorbing nanoparticles (NPs) from ethyl cellulose. These functional nanopaper films are highly transparent, selectively block UV light, and show excellent photostability, therefore with great potential as high-performance, renewable, sustainable, and biodegradable materials for photoprotection applications. Moreover, the integration of functionalized NPs from ethyl cellulose into nanopaper is a platform for novel advanced sustainable materials with a myriad of functionality.