Transparent and highly efficient full-band UV-shielding bioplastic designed by in-situ embedded metal-organic frameworks (MIL-68(In)-NH2) in cellulose matrix

Cellulose-based bioplastics with degradability and remarkable mechanical performance have recently attracted increasing attention. As a high-performance material, cellulose-based bioplastics have a strong potential to replace synthetic plastic substrates in many applications. However, its poor shielding performance to UV light limit its application. In this work, transparent and UV-blocking MIL-68(In)-NH 2 @cellulose bioplastic (M(In)CBP) sheets are fabricated via a featured processing method, i.e., cellulose liquefaction, rapid solidification, in-situ synthesis and hot-press drying. The as-obtained functional bioplastic sheet (M(In)CBP1) exhibits high visible-light transparence (74.7% a 600 nm) and the existence of MIL-68(In)-NH 2 allows superior UV-blocking ability (below 400 nm, transmittance was under 4%). The M(In)CBP sheets show high photostability even after continuous UV irradiation (365 nm) for over 12 h. The superior UV-shielding performance is attributed to the uniform distribution and the high UV absorbance of MIL-68(In)-NH 2 in M(In)CBP sheets. High resistance to penetration by aqueous/nonaqueous liquids was proved. Moreover, the M(In)CBP sheets also show excellent mechanical properties and thermal stability. The present work designed a UV-blocking bioplastic constructed from cellulose and MIL-68(In)-NH 2 , which is potential candidates to replace synthetic plastics in many advanced applications such as a UV protection layer for electronic products, or useful as packaging materials to prevent food spoilage. Graphical abstract