Optimization of the Processing Parameters On The Tensile Strength of Polyvinyl Alcohol/Cellulose Nanocrystals Biocomposites for Potential Food Packaging Application.

Abstract The non-biodegradable characteristic of plastic films produced from petroleum contaminates the environment through multiple pathways, encompassing food, beverages, soil, water, and even the atmosphere. Therefore, numerous nations actively advocate substituting synthetic polymers derived from fossil fuels with bio-based and environmentally friendly materials through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) program. This study implemented a three-factor, three-level Box Behnken design to study the concurrent effects of three main variables, namely CNC loading (%), mixing temperature (ºC) and mixing time (min) on the tensile strength of Polyvinyl Alcohol/Cellulose Nanocrystals Biocomposites using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The determined solutions of PVA and CNC were mixed and poured into a petri dish using the solvent casting method. The prepared samples were then tested using a uniaxial tensile test machine. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to explore potential interactive and quadratic effects between those three main variables. It was found that CNC loading was the most influential parameter for tensile strength, which attained 0.29 F-value, followed by mixing time with 0.086 F-value and mixing temperature, which scored 0.04996 F-value. Experimental results showed that the optimum tensile strength was obtained when the CNC loading, mixing temperature and mixing time were 4 wt.%, 55 °C and 45 min, respectively, where the tensile strength was 10.7 MPa. Using CNC as a natural filler in a PVA matrix may create a biodegradable, eco-friendly composite with good mechanical properties.