High strength sustainable nanocomposites with multicomponent synergistic reinforcement

Abstract Plastics play an indispensable role in daily life, but their adverse impacts on nature and human health are becoming increasingly severe due to their non-degradability and the persistent accumulation of plastic waste. It is essential to develop biodegradable and sustainable alternatives with favorable mechanical properties. Here, we developed a dilute-solution-based strategy that enables the facile and scalable production of high strength sustainable nanocomposites with multicomponent synergistic reinforcement. Owing to the shear-flow-induced nanosheets alignment and strong interfacial interactions, the nanocomposites achieve outstanding mechanical properties, with a high tensile strength of 566.9 ± 13.5 MPa. Moreover, these nanocomposites possess electromechanical stability and thermal stability, and can fully biodegrade within 30 days in natural soil. This strategy provides an effective pathway for the design of high-performance sustainable nanocomposites.