Cross-Linked Cellulose Membranes with Robust Mechanical Property, Self-Adaptive Breathability, and Excellent Biocompatibility

High-performance breathable bio-based membranes have attracted considerable attention worldwide due to the limited fossil energy resources and the demand for sustainable development. As the most abundant polysaccharide, cellulose is an almost inexhaustible raw material with hydrophilicity, biocompatibility, biodegradability, chemical modifying capacity, etc. that has demonstrated versatile applications. Herein, cellulose membranes (CEMs) with mechanically strong property, self-adaptive breathability, and excellent biocompatibility were fabricated by a green technology. The obtained CEMs exhibited an increased integrated mechanical property with the broken strength and broken elongation improved from 54.2 to 137.4 MPa and from 4.7 to 18.3%, respectively. Moreover, the obtained cellulose membranes exhibited a self-adaptive breathability with varying temperature and relative humidity (RH), and the water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of CEMs was much better than that of some famous commercial products, such as 3M-Nexcare. Besides that, cytotoxicity testing results revealed that CEMs were noncytotoxic, with cell viability reaching up to 97%, showing an excellent biocompatibility. Simultaneously, compared to the pristine cellulose membrane, the transmittance and water repellency of cross-linked membranes have been improved to some degree. It is believed that the achieved membranes are effective and scalable products for meritorious applications in medical bandages, wound healing, smart apparels, building materials, and so forth.