Effect of Polar Aprotic Solvents on the Physical, Chemical, and Mechanical Properties of Cellulose Acetate Bioplastic Films

Abstract There has been a growing interest in bioplastics as a solution to increasing greenhouse gases and the pile up of waste caused by fossil-based non-biodegradable plastics. However, the use of harmful solvents in their synthesis may continue to be detrimental to the environment. A novel bio-based solvent, Cyrene TM , is seen as an alternative to toxic polar aprotic solvents. With this, the study aimed to compare the properties of cellulose acetate (CA) bioplastic films using acetone, dimethylformamide (DMF), and Cyrene TM as solvents and glycerol as the plasticizer. The following tests were used to characterize the synthesized bioplastics: Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), density, moisture content, biodegradability, tensile strength, Young’s Modulus, and elongation at break. Cyrene TM films were found to have significantly high moisture content and elongation at break. A weight loss of 29% in biodegradation was recorded for Cyrene TM films without glycerol over the course of 23 days. The properties of the Cyrene TM films show that it may be applicable for mulching films and seedling containers in agricultural applications due to their high affinity for water. It can be concluded that the study of Cyrene TM solvent for the synthesis of CA films and its properties contributes to greener synthesis methods for bioplastics.