FABRICATION AND CHARACTERISATION OF STARCH/NANOCELLULOSE BIONANOCOMPOSITE FILMS

Abstract

In this work we developed starch/nanocellulose bionanocomposite films by solution casting method. The nanocellulose (NC) was extracted from the leaves of pineapples that remainedagro-waste after harvesting pineapple fruit by using the method steam explosion. The influences of NC on the structural, physical and thermal properties of starch films were studied. Thermal stability of films were analysed by using thermogravimetric analysis and found that the addition of NC improved the thermal stability of starch film. The incorporation of cellulose nanoparticles favoured plasticization and increased the rigidity in TPS films, as well as the thermal stability. The aim of this work was to obtain bio-based thermoplastic starch films for replacing petroleum-derived ones in packaging industry, especially for short-life applications.