Fabrication and Analysis of PBAT/Cyperus Rotundus Micro Crystalline Cellulose Biofilms for Food Packaging Applications

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Year : 2026 | Volume : 14 | 01 | Page :
    By

    Kolappan Subramanian,

  • Krishnasamy Karthik,

  • Chithras Thangavel,

  1. Research Scholar, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology, Tamil Nadu, India
  2. Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology, Tamil Nadu, India
  3. Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

Global plastic waste crisis has gained an increasing attention and many efforts have been made recently to develop biodegradable polymers as food packaging alternatives. Solution casting is used for fabrication and characterization of reinforced polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT) biofilm with Cyperus rotundus microcrystalline cellulose (CRC). PBAT-CRC biofilms with different CRC loadings (1%, and 2%) had been prepared and their structural, mechanical, thermal and morphological properties of fabricated biofilms were analyzed to identify the effect of the CRC incorporation. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that incorporating 2 wt.% CRC led to an increase in crystallinity of PBAT sample from 47.2% (Pure PBAT) to 56.4% (PBAT+2%CRC), pointing out that the molecular ordering as well as fibrillar structures were increased. A significant improvement in tensile strength of from 15.64 to 26.45 MPa and Young’s modulus of 9.56 Mpa to 14.37 MPa were observed in mechanical testing in support of CRC reinforcing effect. Maximum thermal degradation temperature was observed which is increased from 342.72°C to 367.24°C through thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), showing better thermal resistance. The uniform dispersion of CRC was also confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and helped to increase structural cohesion within the polymer matrix. These findings claim that the biofilms of PBAT+2%CRC showed better mechanical and thermal properties and can therefore be used as eco-friendly and sustainable packaging food applications.

Keywords: Cyperus rotundus, Microcrystalline cellulose, PBAT, Biodegradable biofilm, Food packaging.

How to cite this article:
Kolappan Subramanian, Krishnasamy Karthik, Chithras Thangavel. Fabrication and Analysis of PBAT/Cyperus Rotundus Micro Crystalline Cellulose Biofilms for Food Packaging Applications. Journal of Polymer & Composites. 2026; 14(01):-.
How to cite this URL:
Kolappan Subramanian, Krishnasamy Karthik, Chithras Thangavel. Fabrication and Analysis of PBAT/Cyperus Rotundus Micro Crystalline Cellulose Biofilms for Food Packaging Applications. Journal of Polymer & Composites. 2026; 14(01):-. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/jopc/article=2026/view=235735


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Ahead of Print Subscription Original Research
Volume 14
01
Received 29/09/2025
Accepted 16/12/2025
Published 07/01/2026
Publication Time 100 Days
88

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