The thermoplastic starch (TPS)/cellulose biocomposites were manufactured as green biocomposite films. TPS was produced through plasticization process in which the mixture of starch granule and plasticizers (water and glycerine) went through the stirring and heating process. Cellulose was used as filler and prepared in suspension form through ultrasonication process involving isolation of cellulose in water medium. The ultrasonicated cellulose suspension was added into the TPS matrix to produce TPS/cellulose biocomposites by film casting. The effects of ultrasonication duration (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 hours) on the crystallinity and tear strength of the TPS/cellulose biocomposite films were investigated. Based on the XRD results, crystallinity of the cellulose and biocomposite were altered by the cellulose ultrasonication process. The tear strength of the TPS biocomposites were greatly enhanced when 5-hours ultrasonicated cellulose was employed as filler. The biocomposites demonstrated 241% higher tear strength than the pure TPS film. This could be related to the transformation of the cellulose into more isolated fiber, with enhanced crystallinity for better reinforcing effect to the TPS matrix.

Thermoplastic starch (TPS) suffers from its intrinsic low mechanical strength and high brittleness due to its strong hydrogen bonding and low chain mobility. The conventional way to crosslink the TPS film can improve the strength and stiffness of the films, but usually reduces the flexibility of the film, and increases its brittleness. In this study, the incorporation of the hybrid nanofiller [1 wt% nanocellulose (C) and 4 wt% nano bentonite (B)] into the TPS proved to improve greatly the films’ strength and flexibility. The hybrid nanofillers with ratio 4B:1C was incorporated into the crosslinked thermoplastic corn starch (CR-TPCS) film to increase the its flexibility and toughness and produced a high mechanical strength fully biodegradable film. Two different aqueous carboxylic acids: citric acid (CA) and tartaric acid (TA) with different pH values (2,4,6) as the green crosslinker were employed. Substantial increase of tensile strength (3.98 to 9.17 MPa), Young’s modulus (9.10 to 46.30 MPa) and elongation at break (55.2 to 135.7%) was observed for the CA- 4B1C/pH2 films compared to the CR-TPCS films. The melting temperature (Tm) of the CA-4B1C/pH2 improved compared to the TPCS/4B1C (un-crosslinked) film due to its crosslinking effect. Meanwhile, the CA-4B1C films exhibited the highest degree of substitution and di-esterification with the lowest swelling and water solubility properties due to the formation of a special “bridge” structure between the CA, nanocellulose and plasticizer. The “bridge” structure developed between the TPCS chains serves as the toughener to motivate higher chain stress relaxation and load endurance. The crosslinked “bridge structure” also proved to effectively reduce the retrogradation phenomenal in the TPCS films. This combination method of hybridization and crosslinking is an efficient, low cost, and environmentally friendly technique to overcome the low flexibility and brittleness problem of the TPS based packaging film.

A Titanium Dioxide-Roselle Dye sensitized solar cell with a dimension of 20 x 20 mm was fabricated using Doctor-Blade Method. Some of the samples were given annealing treatment at various temperatures of 250 0 C, 300 0 C, 350 0 C, 400 0 C and 450 0 C respectively with same annealing time of 30min. The device under test (DUT) were tested using a Kiethley 2400, source meter under A.M 1.5 (1000W/m 2 ) illumination from a Newport class A solar simulator. The results shows that at the various annealing temperatures, the open circuit voltage V oc = 0.091V, 0.79V, 0.78, 0.93 and 0.46V, the short circuit current density J sc =42µAcm -2 , 16µAcm -2 , 109µAcm -2 , 505µAcm -2 and 8µAcm -2 , the fill factor FF= 0.15, 0.06, 0.03, 0.02 and 0.14 and the energy conversion efficiency, η = 6 x10 -4 , 8 x10 -4 , 2 x10 -3 , 6 x10 -3 and 5 x10 -4 respectively. The best results of open circuit voltage V oc =0.93, short circuit current density J sc = 505µAcm -2 , fill factor FF= 0.02 and energy conversion efficiency η= 6 x10 -3 was at temperature T= 400 0 C at constant annealing time, t =30 minute compared to the other four samples annealed at temperatures 250 0 C, 300 0 C, 350 0 C and 450 0 C. These results shows that at temperature T= 400 0 C the annealing treatment shows some effects on the electrical properties of the TiO 2 -Roselle Dye Sensitized solar Cell produced.Copy Right, IJAR, 2016,. All rights reserved. …………………………………………………………………………………………………….... Introduction:-A solar cell is an electronic device which convert direct solar energy into electricity using the process called photovoltaic effect. The process is achieved by shining light on the solar cell which creates an electrical current or voltage in the material that generate an electric power. Solar cell is becoming ever important as an alternative sources of energy that are both cheap, efficient and environmental friendly [1]. Compared to the fossil fuels -coal, oil, and natural gas, which were formed millions of years ago from the fossilized remains of plants and animals and are the main sources of energy today [2]. Based on the depletion of fossil fuel and the environmental hazards that it causes, the use of solar energy is certainly one of the most viable ways to solve the world's energy crisis [3]. More also, owing to the rapid consumption of conventional sources of energy through high demand despite their consequences due to pollution, solar energy is considered as promising alternative to the forecasted energy and societal challenges [4]. Renewable energy sources such as solar energy are considered as a practicable alternative because "More energy from sunlight strikes Earth per each hour than all of the energy consumed by humans in an

Development of bio-based polymers can reduce human dependence on fossil fuel and move to a sustainable material resource. In this work, thermoplastics starch (TPS) films were produced by plasticization process, in which the crystalline structure of the starch granules was destroyed and reformed by water and glycerine through mechanical stirring and heating process. Hectorite was employed as filler to reinforce the TPS films. The hectorite was subjected to ultrasonication process for reducing the size and aggregation of particles. The ultrasonicated hectorite was added into the TPS solution to produce the TPS/hectorite bio-composite by film casting method. The TPS films with hectorite loading in the range of 1% to 5% were prepared. The morphology, tear strength and soil biodegradability of the TPS/hectorite bio-composite films were studied by altering the loading of hectorite incorporated into the TPS films. Results showed that the TPS/hectorite bio-composite films have higher tear strength compared to the pure TPS films. The tear strength of the bio-composite films slightly increased with hectorite content 1% and 2%. However, as the filler loading increased to 3%, there was a drastic increase of the tear strength. The maximum tear strength value was achieved by the TPS film when 4% hectorite filler was employed. The TPS/4% hectorite (ultrasonicated) has the lowest rate of soil biodegradation due to its lower moisture uptake and greatest interface interaction between starch and hectorite, inhibiting diffusion of bacteria into the films.

This study focuses on investigating the effect of hybrid nanofillers on the hydration characteristics and soil biodegradability of the thermoplastic corn starch (TPCS) hybrid nanofiller biocomposite (TPCS-HB) films. The data were benchmarked with that of the pure TPCS and TPCS single nanofiller biocomposite (TPCS-SB) as control films. The water absorption properties of TPCS, TPCS-SB, and TPCS-HB films were analyzed and fitted with the standard Guggenheim–Anderson–de Boer equation to study the water activity of the films. Besides, the water permeability test, water vapor permeability, and soil biodegradability of the films were also studied and correlated with the films’ surface morphology. The results indicated that the TPCS-HB films possess excellent hydration resistance and comparable biodegradable rate with the TPCS-SB films. The optimal water resistance properties were achieved when the optimal ratio of nanobentonite/nanocellulose (4:1) was incorporated into the TPCS matrix. The outcomes of this study provide an innovative idea and new insights that, by using natural and hybrid nanofillers, the hydrophobicity of the TPCS films could be enhanced. TPCS-HB films show great potential to be developed into a fully green biodegradable TPCS biocomposite film, especially for single-use plastic applications.