Preparation and Biodegradation of Nanocellulose Reinforced Polyvinyl Alcohol Blend Films in Bioenvironmental Media
Nusaiba Islam
Nanomaterials Laboratory, Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Islamic University, Kushtia-7003, Bangladesh
Sharmin Jahan Proma
Nanomaterials Laboratory, Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Islamic University, Kushtia-7003, Bangladesh
Ashiqur Rahman *
Nanomaterials Laboratory, Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Islamic University, Kushtia-7003, Bangladesh and Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, School of Engineering, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Solution casting method was used to prepare nanocellulose reinforced polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) from Oil palm empty fruit bunches. Different environmental test were used to investigate the biodegradability of the composite in soil and compost as well as in water and acidic solution. The morphology of the composite was investigated by scanning electron microscopy. The composite film with nanocellulose and without nanocellulose were compared, nanocellulose modified PVOH film showed more highly degradable by soil and compost as well as in enzymes. From the biodegradation study it was observed that the rate of degradation of the composite depend on the nanocellulose content. Surface morphology study of the composite exposed the distribution of nanocellulose in the PVOH.
Keywords: Biodegradation, nanocellulose, PVOH, environmentally friendly, enzyme degradation