Tough, flexible and oil-resistant film from sonicated guar gum and cellulose nanofibers for food packaging

Abstract

Utilizing renewable and locally available raw materials in flexible film production with modifications and reinforcements is crucial in the fight against plastic pollution. This study investigates the use of sonicated guar gum for film production with reinforcement from cellulose nanofibers derived from sugarcane bagasse. Cellulose nanofibers were obtained with a yield of 46.6% and a purity of 95%, exhibiting a crystallinity of 75.64% and thermal stability up to 323 °C. Films were prepared using sonicated guar gum under varying process conditions (time: 0–12.5 min, amplitude: 50,100%), and the film with optimal properties was chosen for reinforcement with varying mass percentages of nanofibers. The film with 0.01 g of nanofiber reinforcement demonstrated significant improvements in tensile strength (23.04 MPa), elongation (39.19%), ultimate modulus (134.94 MPa), and a reduction in water vapor permeability (1.76 × 10−10 gm/m2Pas). This film also showed exceptional resistance to oil permeation, making it a promising candidate for packaging oil-based foods.