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PolymersVolume 15, Issue 12, June 2023, Article number 2729

Biodegradable Cellulose/Polycaprolactone/Keratin/Calcium Carbonate Mulch Films Prepared in Imidazolium-Based Ionic Liquid(Article)(Open Access)

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  • aFaculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, Karnegijeva 4, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia
  • bInnovation Center, Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy in Belgrade Ltd, University of Belgrade, Karnegijeva 4, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia
  • cDepartment of Bioproducts and Biosystems, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, Helsinki, 00076, Finland

Abstract

Ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [BMIM][Cl] was used to prepare cellulose (CELL), cellulose/polycaprolactone (CELL/PCL), cellulose/polycaprolactone/keratin (CELL/PCL/KER), and cellulose/polycaprolactone/keratin/ground calcium carbonate (CELL/PCL/KER/GCC) biodegradable mulch films. Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier-Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, optical microscopy, and Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) were used to verify the films’ surface chemistry and morphology. Mulch film made of only cellulose regenerated from ionic liquid solution exhibited the highest tensile strength (75.3 ± 2.1 MPa) and modulus of elasticity of 944.4 ± 2.0 MPa. Among samples containing PCL, CELL/PCL/KER/GCC is characterized by the highest tensile strength (15.8 ± 0.4 MPa) and modulus of elasticity (687.5 ± 16.6 MPa). The film’s breaking strain decreased for all samples containing PCL upon the addition of KER and KER/GCC. The melting temperature of pure PCL is 62.3 °C, whereas that of CELL/PCL film has a slight tendency for melting point depression (61.0 °C), which is a characteristic of partially miscible polymer blends. Furthermore, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) analysis revealed that the addition of KER or KER/GCC to CELL/PCL films resulted in an increment in melting temperature from 61.0 to 62.6 and 68.9 °C and an improvement in sample crystallinity by 2.2 and 3.0 times, respectively. The light transmittance of all studied samples was greater than 60%. The reported method for mulch film preparation is green and recyclable ([BMIM][Cl] can be recovered), and the inclusion of KER derived by extraction from waste chicken feathers enables conversion to organic biofertilizer. The findings of this study contribute to sustainable agriculture by providing nutrients that enhance the growth rate of plants, and hence food production, while reducing environmental pressure. The addition of GCC furthermore provides a source of Ca2+ for plant micronutrition and a supplementary control of soil pH. © 2023 by the authors.

Author keywords

biodegradationcalcium carbonatecellulosekeratinmulch filmspolycaprolactonewaste chicken feathers

Indexed keywords

Engineering controlled terms:BiodegradationCalcium carbonateChlorine compoundsCytologyDifferential scanning calorimetryElastic moduliField emission microscopesFilm preparationFourier transform infrared spectroscopyGrowth rateIonic liquidsMelting pointMorphologyNutrientsPolymer blendsScanning electron microscopyTensile strength
Engineering uncontrolled terms1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium chlorideAttenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopyChicken feathersField emission scanning electron microscopyGround calcium carbonatesHigh-tensile strengthImidazolium-based ionic liquidMulch filmsOptical fieldWaste chicken feather
Engineering main heading:Cellulose
PaperChem Variable:BiodegradationCalcium CarbonateChlorine CompoundsCytologyGrowth RateMelting Point

Funding details

  • 1

    This research was supported financially by Omya International AG, Switzerland, Group Sustainability.

  • ISSN: 20734360
  • Source Type: Journal
  • Original language: English
  • DOI: 10.3390/polym15122729
  • Document Type: Article
  • Publisher: MDPI

  Gane, P.; Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, Karnegijeva 4, Belgrade, Serbia;
  Ivanovska, A.; Innovation Center, Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy in Belgrade Ltd, University of Belgrade, Karnegijeva 4, Belgrade, Serbia;
© Copyright 2023 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Cited by 4 documents

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(2025) Polymer Bulletin
Liang, P. , Chen, X. , Wang, J.
Regenerated cellulose films with controllable microporous structure for enhanced seed germination
(2024) International Journal of Biological Macromolecules
Zhu, Y. , Fu, B. , Zhu, P.
Waste milk-derived biodegradable mulch film fabrication and nutrient slow-release performance evaluation
(2024) Chemical Engineering Journal
View details of all 4 citations
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