Eco-friendly bionanocomposite based on a ternary blend reinforced with bacterial cellulose for application in packaging materials

Abstract

The search for sustainable materials is driven by the depletion of petrochemical resources and the environmental impact of plastics across various biomes. In this context, the present study develops eco-friendly films using bacterial cellulose derived from agro-industrial soursop (Annona muricata L.) wastes (BC-S) in ternary blends (TB) with poly(vinyl alcohol), polyvinylpyrrolidone, and poly(ethylene glycol). This blend showed a total concentration of 7,0 wt% with 8:1:1 proportion polymeric, respectively. The incorporation of BC-S (1.0, 3.0, and 5.0 %, v/v) resulted in: (i) the formation of homogeneous single-layer films; (ii) significant enhancement of mechanical properties, such as tensile strength (> 25.73 MPa), elongation at break (> 148.60 %), and increase in Young's modulus (> 3.0 GPa) by 73.9 %; (iii) excellent UV radiation protection, for UV-C (200–280 nm) an increase of 7.5 %; (iv) good water vapor barrier properties with a 54.5 % reduction; and (v) low transmittance and high transparency (an increase of 59.2 %) compared to the control treatment. The results demonstrate the potential of 5 % (v/v) BC-S derived from agro-industrial residues for sustainable applications as a reinforcement agent in bionanocomposites for food packaging. Therefore, it bolsters the concept of upcycling and eco-friendly packaging solutions.