Utilization of Jute Waste for Sustainable Eco-Film Preparation

Abstract

Jute caddis is the waste lignocellulosic biomass produced from jute fabric (sacking and hessian) production. Jute caddis cellulose (JCC) is a sustainable source and has high potential for being used in preparing biodegradable films. In this research, flexible, semi-transparent, biodegradable, and highly water-resistant eco-films were developed with cellulose extracted from JCC. The macroscopic cellulose was isolated from JCC by alkaline hydrolysis. Flexible and translucent cellulose films were produced with different amounts of JCC by vacuum filtration. Biodegradable thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) was self-assembled and heat-pressed to fabricate semi-transparent films. The prepared eco-films were investigated using modern techniques for their mechanical properties, structural changes, thermal stability, and water resistance. With full flexibility (folding tolerance >100), the tensile strength of the JCC films was higher than that of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) films. The tensile strength of the TPU-coated JCC films was about 4 times higher than that of the pristine uncoated films. The films showed excellent water resistance, indicating a water contact angle higher than 100°, and the water droplet was found to be stable even after 20 min. A burning test of the JCC films showed that they produced ashes like paper burning, suggesting easy and clean biodegradation. The fabricated JCC eco-films could be a sustainable approach for replacing fossil-fuel-based petroleum plastic materials for packaging applications.