Transparent paper-based material can hold boiling water, and biodegradable in less than a year after settling on the ocean floor

https://phys.org/news/2025-04-transparent-paper-based-material-degrade.html

"stands up to liquids for several hours, replacing plastic cups, straws... , and other everyday objects... cellulose hydrogel is dried, treated with aqueous lithium bromide solution forcing cellulose to solidify into desired shapes... end-products thin as plastic cup walls, or as thick as desired... material called tPB... no signs of collapse seen in paper straws... leaked just a little bit after 3 hours, adding plant-based resin coating stopped from leaking at all... recycles easily, but less transparent after being melted/ reformed"

Related:

Velvet worm slime transformation from liquid to fiber and back again, process can be mimicked in recyclables
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1082900

Biodegradable plastic for mass-produced food packaging
https://www.uq.edu.au/news/article/2025/05/berries-just-beginning-bioplastic-breakthrough

Shrilk: A degradable bioplastic derived from shrimp shells and silk protein
https://wyss.harvard.edu/technology/bioplastic/