Synergistic Effect of Glycerol and Calcium Chloride on the Properties of Cellulose Acetate Film

ABSTRACT The present work investigates the development and characterization of cellulose acetate (CA) films with varying concentrations of CA, incorporating glycerol as a plasticizer and calcium chloride (CaCl 2 ) as a crosslinker. The films were fabricated using solution casting and phase inversion techniques. The inclusion of glycerol significantly enhanced the surface morphology, tensile strength (TS), and elongation at break (EAB) of the films. The optimal composition, containing 10% (w/v) CA and 1% (v/v) glycerol, achieved the highest TS (3.199 ± 0.077 MPa) and EAB (9.500% ± 0.401%). The addition of CaCl 2 to CA resulted in improved thermal properties of the films, suggesting effective crosslinking between CA and glycerol, as demonstrated by the DSC and TGA analyses. FTIR analysis suggested that glycerol interacts with cellulose, through hydrogen bonding, modifying the intermolecular forces within the cellulose matrix. Glycerol also improved the films' hydrophilicity and reduced swelling, solubility, and water contact angle (WCA). The films also exhibited antimicrobial properties against Staphylococcus aureus ( S . aureus ), a gram‐positive bacterium, and achieved a soil biodegradation rate of 43.65% within 30 days. These results suggest that CA films with optimized glycerol and CaCl 2 are promising for various industrial and medical applications where enhanced mechanical properties, permeability control, and biodegradability are essential.