Nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) reinforced alginate based biodegradable nanocomposite film

► 5 wt% NCC loading increased the tensile strength of the alginate films by 37%. ► FTIR analysis suggested hydrogen bonding between alginate and NCC. ► NCC incorporation increased the crystallinity of the alginate films. ► NCC reinforced films exhibited better thermal stability than the control.