Bioconversion of Murraya koenigii leaves to microcrystalline cellulose as a green reinforcing agent in PBAT biopolymer composite for packaging applications
Indran Suyambulingam, Edayadulla Naushad, Shanmuga Sundari Chandraraj, Divya Divakaran, P. Senthamaraikannan, Nadir Ayrilmis, Mohamad Zaki Hassan, Siva AvudaiappanAbstract
Characterization of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) extracted from Murraya koenigii leaves and its potential application as reinforcement in PBAT (poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)) biofilm were investigated. Following chemically assisted alkalization, acid hydrolysis and bleaching, the extraction process was completed. The average crystallite size (67.71 nm) was calculated from the XRD data based on the most intense crystalline diffraction peak, which is well matched with the JCPDS card no. 00-037-1399. The analysis of atomic force microscopy found that the surface roughness of cellulose was 13.26 nm. The thin films remained flexible when made using a mixture of PBAT and MCC. The surface image of the biofilms did not show any signs of separation or cracks. The MCC filler was spread evenly throughout the PBAT matrix. The results suggest that microcrystalline cellulose derived from Murraya koenigii leaves could be successfully utilized in PBAT films for green packaging applications.