Water-Processable, Biodegradable and Coatable Aquaplastic from Engineered Biofilms

Petrochemical-based plastics have not only contaminated all parts of the globe but are also causing potentially irreversible damage to our ecosystem, due to their non-biodegradability. As bioplastics are limited in number, there is an urgent need to design and develop more biodegradable alternatives to mitigate the plastic menace. In this regard, we report aquaplastic, a new class of microbial biofilm-based biodegradable bioplastic that is water-processable, robust, templatable and coatable. Herein, Escherichia coli was genetically engineered to produce protein-based hydrogels, which are cast and dried under ambient conditions to produce aquaplastic that can withstand strong acid/base and organic solvents. In addition, aquaplastic can be healed and welded to form three-dimensional architectures using water. The combination of straightforward microbial fabrication, water-processability, and biodegradability make aquaplastic a unique material worthy of further exploration for packaging and coating applications.