Researchers develop biodegradable, plant-based packaging from natural fibers – new research

Jie Wu, an engineering graduate student, was studying a type of striking white beetle found in Southeast Asia and trying to figure out how to mimic its brilliant color when an unexpected discovery upended the experiment.

Jie and I hoped to identify natural whitening pigments that could be used in paper and paints. The beetle’s white exoskeleton is made of a compound called chitin, which is a type of carbohydrate also commonly found in crab and lobster shells.

First, Jie extracted chitin nanofibers from crab shells obtained from food waste, chemically identical to those found in white beetles. But instead of creating a white material as expected, Jie produced dense, transparent films. Nanofibers assemble more easily into tightly packed films than into the desired porous structures.

On a whim, Jie measured the speed at which the oxygen was passing through the film. The result was astonishing: the barrier allowed less oxygen to pass through than many existing packaging plastics.

This serendipitous discovery in 2014 shifted the focus of my team of engineering students from color to packaging. We asked whether natural materials could match the performance of common plastics. In the years since, our team has used this discovery to create biodegradable films that provide a more sustainable and efficient alternative to plastic packaging.

The challenges of plastic packaging

Plastic packaging is commonly used to protect food, pharmaceuticals and personal care products. These plastics prevent moisture and oxygen from entering the air, so products stay fresh and safe.

Most packaging has multiple layers that work together to keep air out, but these layers hinder reuse and recycling efforts. As a result, most of this plastic barrier packaging is thrown into landfills as single-use materials.

Many researchers have looked for renewable, biodegradable or recyclable alternatives that are just as effective. At Georgia Tech, my team of students and postdocs have spent more than a decade tackling this problem. This journey began with this beetle.

Build a Better Barrier

Chitin is widely available in food waste and fungi, and it is used in products such as water filters and wound dressings. However, our first attempts to develop film technology based on the beetle-inspired experience were unsuccessful.

In 2018, the team took a big step forward by using spray coating to create layers of chitin and cellulose nanomaterials. Cellulose, like chitin, is a carbohydrate polymer – a chain of repeating carbohydrate units – and is obtained from plants. These abundant natural materials have opposite electrical charges, leading to better barrier performance when we combine them than either material alone.

In this approach, the team sprayed a layer of chitin, followed by a layer of cellulose. The opposite charges between chitin and cellulose created a long-range attraction between them that binds the layers to create a dense interface.

Later, working with materials scientist Meisha Shofner and mechanical engineer Tequila Harris, other students showed that these coatings could be applied with scalable roll-to-roll techniques. Roll-to-roll coating methods are preferred in the industry because the coatings are applied continuously to large rolls of a substrate material, such as paper or other biodegradable plastics.

Yet humidity presented a major challenge, limiting any real-world application. The moisture swelled the film, allowing more oxygen to infiltrate.

Then came another breakthrough. In 2024, another collaborator, Natalie Stingelin, and I discovered that two common food components were resistant to water vapor when combined: carboxymethylcellulose – found, for example, in ice cream – and citric acid.

The result was a film that prevented moisture transmission. Citric acid reacted with cellulose to form cross-links, which are chemical junctions that bind cellulose molecules together. Once bonded, they reduce the moisture absorption of the film.

We integrated this new finding with previous work by combining citric acid and cellulose, then casting this mixture as an independent film by coating it on a substrate, such as chitin.

However, this formulation did not have strong oxygen barrier properties because it did not contain the highly crystalline cellulose nanomaterials of our first film. Our team’s most recent achievement, dating from October 2025, combines the above innovations. As a result, we have created a bio-based film that provides an excellent barrier against both oxygen and moisture.

Increase production

When cast as thin films, these components self-organize into a dense structure that resists swelling by water vapor. Testing showed that even at 80% humidity, the film equaled or outperformed common packaging plastics.

The materials are renewable, biodegradable and compostable. Our team has filed several patent applications and we are working with industry partners to develop specific packaging uses.

One of the challenges applications face is the limited supply of bio-based components compared to the high volume of conventional plastics. As with any new material, it will take time for manufacturers to develop supply chains as the films begin to be used.

For example, market demand for purified chitin is currently low, as it is used in niche applications, such as wound dressings and water filtration. Due to its various uses, packaging could increase this market demand.

The next challenge is moving from experimental films to industrial production, which will likely take several years. The team is exploring roll-to-roll coating techniques and working with industry partners to integrate these materials into existing packaging lines.

Politics and consumer demand will also play a role. As governments push to ban single-use plastics and companies set sustainability goals, bio-based films could be part of the solution.

The story of this breakthrough reminds me that science often advances through unexpected results. From a failed attempt to imitate the color of a beetle to a promising alternative to plastic, this research shows how curiosity can lead to solutions to some of our biggest challenges.

This article is republished from The Conversation, an independent, nonprofit news organization that brings you trusted facts and analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: J. Carson Meredith, Georgia Institute of Technology

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Carson Meredith has received funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, Mars, Nestlé, Winpak, One.Five, and Dow. This technology has patents pending.