Biodegradable Seaweed-Based Composite Films Incorporated With Calcium Carbonate Generated By Bacillus Sphaericus
Loading...
Date
2021-03
Authors
Chong, Eunice Wan Ni
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
Seaweed-based films have been trending in the recent years due to its nutritional benefits, abundance, compatibility and biodegradability. However, the hydrophilic nature of seaweed film has been limiting its water barrier, mechanical and thermal performances. Therefore, this study is purposed to develop biodegradable film using raw red seaweed (Kappaphycus alvarezii) as a matrix and incorporated with microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitates (M-CaCO3) to further enhance the film performances. In order to determine the enhancement of film properties, seaweed-based composite films incorporated with different filler loading [0.06, 0.08, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20 and 0.50 (wt. %)] of M-CaCO3 were characterized based on physical, mechanical, thermal, biodegradability, morphological and crystallinity using various characterization techniques such as FESEM, EDX, FT-IR XRD and TGA. The properties of the films were then compared with the films incorporated with the commercial calcium carbonate (C-CaCO3). The optimum loading was attained by 0.15 wt. % M-CaCO3 and 0.10 wt.% C-CaCO3 based on the results of physical, mechanical and thermal properties. It has proven that moisture absorption and water vapour permeability was significantly (p<0.05) reduced while the contact angle, tensile strength, tensile modulus, elongation at break and thermal stability were significantly enhanced upon increasing filler loading from 0.06 wt. % up to 0.15 wt. % M-CaCO3 and 0.10 wt.% C-CaCO3 loadings, respectively. Results also showed that films incorporated with 0.15 wt.% of M-CaCO3 attained the highest contact angle (100.94̊); lowest moisture absorbtion (98.69%) and water vapour permeability (2.45×10-10 g.m/m2. s. Pa) while the films incorporated with 0.10 wt.% of C-CaCO3 showed the highest tensile strength (44.31 MPa), tensile modulus (228 MPa) and elongation at break (16.82%). In comparison between the optimum loading of C-CaCO3 (0.10 wt. %) and the optimum loading of M-CaCO3 (0.15 wt.%), the composite films incorporated with 0.15 wt.% M-CaCO3 filler promoted lower moisture absorption by 10.27%, better water barrier by 31.56%, higher contact angle by 9.21% and better biodegradability properties by 0.85%. Apart from that, the results revealed that the percentage of biodegradability of the seaweed-based composite films incorporated with M-CaCO3 filler were higher than the conventional mulch film by 40%. Hence, these findings suggested that M-CaCO3 produced from a more environmental friendlier method has a great potential not merely to serve as alternative filler to the commercial CaCO3 but also serve as a promising alternative to the existing conventional petroleum-based mulch film in the near future.
Description
Keywords
Tecnology