Novel biodegradable polymer films based on poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) and Ceiba pentandra natural fibers for packaging applications

In this work novel poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) polymer composites were prepared by incorporating Ceiba pentandra bark fibers. The casting technique was used for the preparation of the composites. The effect of Ceiba pentandra bark fibers on the morphology, thermo-mechanical, hydrophilicity, transparency, biodegradability, antimicrobial, and packaging properties were studied. The scanning electron microscope was used for morphological characterization while Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used for structural analysis. The investigation was done on the mechanical properties, percentage crystallinity, and biodegradability of these composites. It was found that the incorporation of fibers enhanced the tensile properties, percentage crystallinity, and the biodegradability of the composite when compared to that of the virgin PHBV. Additionally, all the biocomposites show good thermal stability. Antimicrobial studies showed that the composite films of higher fiber loading showed antibacterial activity against S.aureus while no activity was shown against E. coli. Finally, these composite films were used for packaging of fresh strawberries which showed that the strawberries packed in films of fiber loading above 10 % have better preservation of freshness of the fruit than unpacked strawberries which showed mold attack after 7 days of packing.