Reinforcement of starch based biodegradable composite using Nile rose residues

Valorization of plant wastes to constitute biodegradable ecofriendly composites grabbed ever increasing interest since two to three decades. Moreover, dealing with substantial amount of Nile rose plant has been growing challenge, especially during increasing demand on water. The aim of this research is to investigate the morphological, mechanical, and chemical properties of gelatinized starch (TPS) and its Nile rose fibers (NRF) filled composites. The optimum combination of mechanical and chemical properties was obtained for sample containing 60% NRF and further increase in the fiber content shows drastic deterioration in mechanical properties. Raising fiber fraction boosted up hardness, water uptake, and chemical resistance. IR and XRD are corresponding with weight content and show up good adhesion between fiber and matrix. Sixty percent of NRF shows comparable properties to starch based composite reinforced with either palm or bagasse fibers; which recommends this sample to be potential candidate as a biodegradable panel for multitude of applications, especially automotive and decorative applications. (C) 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.