Polylactide (PLA)/layered double hydroxide (LDH) films with good flame retardant property and transparency were synthesized by solution exfoliation and film casting method. The organic inorganic interfacial interaction between PLA and NiAl-LDH was carefully modified by 2-carboxylethyl-phenyl-phosphinic acid (CEPPA) to well solve the dispersion' problem of NiAl-LDH nanolayers and get enhanced flame retardancy of PLA composites, The results showed the NiAl-LDH/CEPPA (LC) nanolayers had exfoliated structures and were homogenously dispersed in PLA matrixes. All the PLA/LDH films had good transparency even LC content was up to 10 wt%. The PLA/LDH films absorbed the ultraviolet light, which alleviates the embrittlement of PLA films in the using procedure. The flame retardant effect characterized by microscale combustion calorimeter was observed when LC contents increased. The total heat release value of the sample with 10 wt% LC decreased to 9.7 kJ/g from 12.0 kJ/g of virgin PLA. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.