Preparation of PLA based biodegradable nanofibre films and their characterization

Abstract

Nanofibres have been obtained from sugarcane bagasse through different chemical treatments and mechanical grinding process. These nanofibres are then used for the preparation of their PLA-based biodegradable films by the solvent casing method using various weight percentages (0, 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5) of nanofibres. The morphological analysis, tensile properties, thermal property and optical properties of the films are characterized by field emission electron microscopy, tensile test, thermogravimetric analysis and UV-Vis spectrometers respectively. The film with 2 wt. % of nanofibre is found to offer the highest tensile strength (24.5 %) which is 57-55 % more than that of neat PLA film. The thermal and optical properties of PLA films are also significantly influenced by the incorporation of nanofibres. Based on the results obtained from the present study, the prepared biodegradable nanofibre films can be used in nanofabrics and for packaging applications.