Design and Manufacturing of Sustainable High-Performance Biopolymer Films Reinforced by Architected Particle Networks

The development of sustainable alternatives to synthetic plastics has become increasingly important due to the environmental challenges associated with persistent plastic waste. Although natural biopolymers are promising candidates for sustainable packaging materials, their practical applications remain limited by poor mechanical strength, brittleness, and inadequate moisture barrier properties. Here, we present a versatile strategy to enhance the performance of biopolymer packaging and structural films through the incorporation of architected biopolymeric particles with morphology-dependent functionalities. The particles of highly developed morphology are fabricated using a scalable shear-driven phase separation process capable of generating diverse structural morphologies. When embedded into biopolymer matrices, these particles serve as multifunctional reinforcing elements that improve stress transfer, energy dissipation, and structural integrity. As a result, the composite films exhibit enhanced mechanical robustness compared with conventional biopolymer films. In addition, interfacial interactions between the matrix and the embedded particles modify the local physicochemical environment, reducing water affinity and increasing surface hydrophobicity. Particle architectures with anisotropic and hierarchical structures further contribute to barrier enhancement by creating tortuous pathways that hinder moisture transport through the films. Thus, the engineering of morphology and interfacial interactions provides a powerful platform for tailoring the mechanical and barrier properties of new classes of biodegradable materials without compromising their sustainability. This work demonstrates a general design framework for developing such high-performance biopolymer composites and highlights the critical role of particle architecture in controlling bulk material properties for sustainable packaging and related applications.