Enhancement in the Physico-Mechanical Functions of Seaweed Biopolymer Film via Embedding Fillers for Plasticulture Application—A Comparison with Conventional Biodegradable Mulch Film

Abstract

This study aimed to compare the performance of fabricated microbially induced precipitated calcium carbonate– (MB–CaCO3) based red seaweed (Kappaphycus alvarezii) bio-polymer film and commercial calcium carbonate– (C–CaCO3) based red seaweed bio-film with the conventional biodegradable mulch film. To the best of our knowledge, there has been limited research on the application of commercial CaCO3 (C–CaCO3) and microbially induced CaCO3 (MB–CaCO3) as fillers for the preparation of films from seaweed bio-polymer and comparison with biodegradable commercial plasticulture packaging. The results revealed that the mechanical, contact angle, and biodegradability properties of the polymer composite films incorporated with C–CaCO3 and MB–CaCO3 fillers were comparable or even superior than the conventional biodegradable mulch film. The seaweed polymer film incorporated with MB–CaCO3 showed the highest contact angle of 100.94°, whereas conventional biodegradable mulch film showed a contact angle of 90.25°. The enhanced contact angle of MB–CaCO3 resulted in high barrier properties, which is highly desired in the current scenario for plasticulture packaging application. The water vapor permeability of MB–CaCO3 based seaweed films was low (2.05 ± 1.06 g·m/m2·s·Pa) when compared to conventional mulch film (2.68 ± 0.35 g·m/m2·s·Pa), which makes the fabricated film an ideal candidate for plasticulture application. The highest tensile strength (TS) was achieved by seaweed-based film filled with commercial CaCO3 (84.92% higher than conventional mulch film). SEM images of the fractured surfaces of the fabricated films revealed the strong interaction between seaweed and fillers. Furthermore, composite films incorporated with MB–CaCO3 promote brighter film, better water barrier, hydrophobicity, and biodegradability compared to C–CaCO3 based seaweed polymer film and conventional mulch film. From this demonstrated work, it can be concluded that the fabricated MB–CaCO3 based seaweed biopolymer film will be a promising candidate for plasticulture and agricultural application.

Properties and Characterization of a PLA–Chitin–Starch Biodegradable Polymer Composite

“…PLA degrades rapidly in suitable environments and can be recycled [5,6]. PLA has been used for several industrial manufacturing products, among which are packaging [7,8] and biomedical implants. The use of PLA as a packaging material or for biomedical implants is due to its limited mechanical strength.…”

Preparation of Green and Degradable Seaweed-Based Straws by Directional Diffusion Assembly as a Plastic Substitute

“…Then, in the following 90 to 180 days, the seaweed-based straws were gradually degraded into much thinner small fragments, and the weight loss percentage reached 95% on day 180, while the PLA straws showed a quite limited decrease in the residual ratio within 180 days (Figure c). According to Hasan et al, the degradation cycle of a calcium alginate film buried in the soil was generally about 150 days, and the degradation rate of the seaweed straw was slightly slower than that of the reported alginate film, which was mainly due to the reduced contact area between the hollow straw and the soil. We believe that the seaweed-based straws can be completely degraded at this stage.…”

Seaweed-based films for sustainable food packaging: properties, incorporation of essential oils, applications, and future directions

“…The findings demonstrate notable distinctions between seaweed based-films and traditional mulch films. Films made from seaweed that was filled with commercial CaCO3 had the highest TS, at 84.92%, followed by films made from seaweed that was filled with microbial-induced CaCO3 (82.14%), the control group (72.73%), and the conventional mulch film [46].…”