Comprehensive characterization and utilization of agro waste based micro fillers reinforced biodegradable films for food packaging applications

Abstract

Packaging materials spread all over the world and the it is used in food, newlineagricultural, medical and other sectors. The cost effectiveness and properties newlineof synthetic materials make them spread. Recently, biopolymers derived from newlinerenewable resources have considerable interest. Ecofriendly bioplastics and newlinebio composites must replace the synthetic packaging materials which are newlinederived from fossil fuels. In our study, we mainly focus on biodegradable newlinegreen biofilm materials to replace the already existing synthetic one. For this newlinefiller material cellulose is extracted from agro waste materials Borassus newlineflabellifer flower. Acid hydrolysis method is used to extract the newlinemicrocrystalline cellulose. The bio filler was then reinforced with polylactic newlineacid a biopolymer derived from fermentation of organic polysaccharides. In newlinemany polymers additive called plasticizer is added to enhance the properties newlineof the polymer. To improve the ductile, mouldable nature of the polymer newlinesynthetic plasticizers are used. To replace the plasticizer an innovative newlineextraction of solid plasticizer is done using the plant Pedalium murex. The newlineextracted cellulose, plasticizer and the reinforced bio composites films of newlinecellulose and plasticizer were characterised in this study. The Borassus newlinecellulose yield was noted as 59%. The Fourier transform spectral analysis newlineshows the prominent peaks of cellulose. The high thermal withstanding newlinetemperature up to 320.65 °C was resulted in differential thermal analysis. The newlineextracted cellulose possesses higher crystallinity index (69.81%) as well as newlinecrystallite size (70.73 nm). The surface smoothness and shape were identified newlineusing scanning electron microscopic analysis. newline