Title : Sustainable paper packaging using waste-derived nanocellulose and biopolymer integration
Abstract:
Nowadays there is a significant increase in the use of paper bags in the packaging industry due to the ban on the use of single-use plastics, leading to excessive deforestation. A sustainable method of cellulose extraction from the waste paper can be effective with the added advantage of waste management. But because cellulose is porous, traditional paper often doesn't have good mechanical strength or barrier properties. This study extracts cellulose from waste paper using a sequence of processes, including grinding, washing, alkali treatment, and bleaching. The extracted cellulose is converted to nanocellulose by acid hydrolysis. Structural and functional group analyses are performed using attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR). FTIR analysis verified the elimination of lignin, ink, fillers, and other constituents subsequent to the alkali and bleaching treatments. For imaging, morphological analysis is done using optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Optical microscopy revealed that the obtained cellulose has a fibrous and cylindrical rod-like structure, while TEM images show that the cellulose size ranges from micro to nano range, approximately 20-30 nm, that also depends on the acid concentration. This process turns paper waste into a novel reinforcing material as an innovative technique. Because of its high surface area and many hydroxyl groups, the nanocellulose is added as a functional filler during paper production. Biopolymers such as poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA), poly (lactic acid) (PLA), and chitosan are added to the paper matrix to improve the water, oil, and grease resistant property. The combination of nanocellulose and biopolymers created a dense, well-bonded paper structure that is more resistant to water and oil than conventional paper. The composite papers have properties suitable for food packaging applications without the need for extra surface coatings.
Keywords: waste Paper, Nanocellulose, sustainable packaging, biopolymer
