Preparation and properties of biodegradable films from Sterculia urens short fiber/cellulose green composites

The development of commercially viable “green products”, based on natural resources for the matrices and reinforcements, in a wide range of applications, is on the rise. The present paper focuses on Sterculia urens short fiber reinforced pure cellulose matrix composite films. The morphologies of the untreated and 5% NaOH (alkali) treated S. urens fibers were observed by SEM. The effect of 5% NaOH treated S. urens fiber (5, 10, 15 and 20% loading) on the mechanical properties and thermal stability of the composites films is discussed. This paper presents the developments made in the area of biodegradable S. urens short fiber/cellulose (SUSF/cellulose) composite films, buried in the soil and later investigated by the (POM), before and after biodegradation has taken place. SUSF/cellulose composite films have great potential in food packaging and for medical applications.

► Newly identified fabrics from the tree Sterculia urens were extracted.
► Cellulose matrix/S. urens short fiber as a reinforcement films were prepared by a ‘green’ way.
► The green composite films are safe, stable and biodegradable.
► Thermal stability and mechanical properties of green composites were improved.
► These green composite films showed potential application in the packaging and biomaterials field.