Preparation and application of waste cigarette butts-derived mulch film with excellent mechanical properties and optical transparency

The small waste cigarette butts every year worldwide added up is a significant threat to the environment. The main component of cigarette butts is cellulose acetate, which is an excellent film-forming material. Here, a one-step phase transition method was employed to successfully convert waste cigarette butts into a transparent film. This film (160×18×0.5 mm) derived from waste cigarette butts (CB) has high mechanical strength (fracture stress 23.5 MPa, Young’s modulus 13.1 MPa), good thermal stability, and excellent optical transmittance (91.8%), and low haze (40.3%). Its properties rival those of traditional low-density polyethylene (PE) film. Meanwhile, the CB film displayed fascinating bending-ability and folding resistance. The cigarette butt-derived film with low cost and excellent properties exhibits a promising application as agricultural mulch and provides recycle solution for waste cigarette butts.