The study was conducted to reinforce starch-based biocomposite films using cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) from garlic stalks and rice straw. The isolated CNCs from garlic stalks are spherical and have an average diameter of 35 nm and crystallinity of 62%. On the other hand, short, rod-like CNCs with particle diameter ranging from 10-12 nm and crystallinityindex of 76.1% were isolated from rice straws (Fig.1). FTIR spectra correspond to the structure of cellulose but some absorption bands corresponding to hemicelluloses were also noticed. Starch-based biocomposite films with varying amount of the isolated CNCs as reinforcing filler were prepared by solution casting and evaporation method. Scanning electron micrographs of the films showed homogeneous dispersion of CNC in the starch matrix. Mechanical test revealed that both tensile strength and Modulus significantly increased with increasing CNC load while percent elongation decreased. The thermal stability of the films, on the other hand, decreased with the addition of CNC (Table 1). Finally, CNC-reinforced films had lower moisture uptake than non-reinforced films.Figure 1 TEM micrographs of cellulose nanocrystals isolated from (a) garlic stalk and (b) rice stalk.Table1: Mechanical properties of starch-based bioplastic with varying amount of CNCs from garlic stalk and rice straw.

Starch based biocomposite films reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals from garlic stalks and rice straw

247th National Meeting (2014)

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