Sustainable Bioplastics from Amyloid Fibril-Biodegradable Polymer Blends

Plastics waste production is a global challenging problem because its accumulation in the environment causes devastating effects on planet’s ecosystem. Sustainable and green solutions are urgently needed, this pairs with increasingly stronger regulations combined improved ecological awareness. This study proposes simple, scalable, water-based process to produce free-standing, transparent, flexible bioplastics films by combining amyloid fibrils biodegradable polymers as two main building blocks. Amyloid can be obtained through denaturation self-assembly from broad class of food proteins found milk, soy, egg, for example. Whey used here model protein it major byproduct dairy industries, valorization creates valuable opportunity sustainable, biodegradable, environmentally friendly perfectly integrated within circular economy. Against background, we highlight sustainability superiority these over common plastics via detailed life cycle assessment, anticipating an important role new mitigating pressing pollution challenge.