Nanocompósitos baseados em PVOH e nanocristais de celulose obtidos de pseudocaule de bananeira

Abstract

The use of polymeric materials from petroleum in the manufacture of difficult decomposition products leads to studies and development of partially or completely biodegradable materials from renewable sources. Cellulose is a major target of this research, not only for its various sources, but also by the wide applicability, especially in nanocomposites. Brazil, a country of agribusiness, has a large source of waste biomass from the agribusiness sector. One such source is the fiber from the banana pseudostem , which is used as fertilizer and soil cover in bananeiral own. Having a big residue generation in banana crop as an opportunity, the development of new alternative utilization expands the options of adding value and helps to reduce the negative impacts. In the present work, fibers from the banana pseudostem (PCB), Pacovan variety, were evaluated as a possible source for obtaining nanocelulose for preparation of nanocomposites in matrix of polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), a hydrophilic and biodegradable polymer. Initially, the PCB was divided into four fractions: external fraction, central fraction, inner fraction and core for subsequent chemical, thermal and morphological characterization. Because of the higher cellulose content and crystallinity, we used the external fractions to obtain nanocelulose. After bleaching in alkaline environment, the pulp was subjected to acid hydrolysis (H2SO4 62% m / m, 70 min, 45 ° C) and reduced to cellulose nanocrystals. The nanocelulose extracted from the PCB appeared as a stable brown suspension . Typically, the crystals exhibited lengths (L) of 135.0 nm, and diameters (d) situated around 7.2 nm, which reproduces aspect ratios (L/d) 21.2. The nanocellulose was applied to a biodegradable polymeric matrix and water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol, to obtain nanocomposite films of different concentrations (0, 1, 3 and 5% on dry basis matrix). The addition of nanocellulose improved the mechanical properties of the films to 3% concentration, diminished the thermal properties at all concentrations, improved barrier property to water vapor gradually with small changes in the optical properties evidencing an opportunity to apply this nanocomposite film for packaging. Moreover, representing an alternative of adding value to a relevant agribusiness residue.