Properties of polyvinyl alcohol composite filled Ampel bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris) microfibrils fibrillated by mechanical treatment

Abstract

Composite for food packaging is mostly made from petroleum-based synthetic polymers that require a long period to be degraded naturally. This condition encourages the study of the use of cellulose microfibrils or organic materials as fillers and reinforcement for food packaging composites to reduce the dominance of synthetic polymers. The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics of polyvinyl alcohol composites with fibrillated cellulose microfibrils from Ampel bamboo pulp (Bambusa vulgaris), both bleached and un-bleached. Pulp from Ampel bamboo produced by the soda process was fibrillated using a disc refiner in 10, 20, and 30 times repetition variations. Microfibril concentration of 0.1 wt% dry based on the weight of the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix. Composite preparation was carried out by dissolving polyvinyl alcohol using a hot plate stirrer at 80 °C, 300 rpm for 30 minutes. The composite solution is poured in a mold measuring 20 × 16 × 0.1 cm. Morphology characteristics from microfibrils were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The mechanical characteristics tested with UTM Shimadzu 1 kN in accordance to ASTM D 882-75b standard. PVA composites filled with cellulose microfibrils from bleached Ampel bamboo pulp have better mechanical characteristics than composites with unbleached pulp. Mechanical treatment in various replications in the disc refiner machine can increase tensile strength, tensile modulus, and composite elongation.