Work

Bio-based composite materials with natural fiber enhanced bioactivity and eco degradability analysis

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: • Chitosan-based bio-resin composites reinforced with banana fibers were developed for sustainable food packaging. • Genipin as a cross-linker and sorbitol as a plasticizer enhanced the mechanical and functional properties of the chitosan matrix. • The chitosan-banana fiber (CT/BF) composite showed 200% improvement in tensile strength and superior thermal stability. • The CT/BF composite exhibited exceptional antibacterial activity, UV-blocking efficacy, and complete biodegradability within one month. • Scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared analysis, and X-ray diffraction confirmed the structural integrity of the composites. • The composites demonstrated excellent moisture absorption capacity and thermal stability suitable for food preservation applications. • The results highlight the potential of chitosan-based bio-resin composites as high-performance, biodegradable alternatives for eco-friendly food packaging. The present investigation introduces a novel approach to manufacturing bio-resin composites based on chitosan as sustainable replacement for petroleum-derived polymers in environmentally friendly, biodegradable applications. An effective combination that includes genipin (0.2% w/v) as a cross-linking ingredient and sorbitol (40% w/v) as a plasticizer was used to increase the mechanical and functional performance of the chitosan matrix. An extraordinary 200% improvement in tensile strength, exceeding 10.5 MPa, and superior stability of thermal with temperature degradation of an onset as 330°C have been shown by a chitosan banana fiber (CT/BF) composite produced by further reinforcing with short banana fibers (4 weight percent) using solution casting methods are carried out for experimental work. The composite showed exceptional antibacterial activity with an 86% decrease in microbial growth, 93% UV-blocking efficacy, and full biodegradability in just one month, among other remarkable functional qualities. These results illustrate CT/BF composites' potential as high-performance; biodegradable replacements for environmentally applications of biodegradation, providing a maintainable resolution blends sophisticated mechanical and well-designed qualities with practical proficiencies. The zone of inhibition for S. aureus and E. coli was 8.42 ± 0.4, 9.2 ± 1.2 mm on the CT/BF composites and 8.61 ± 0.3, 9.5 ± 1.1 mm on the CT matrix surface, respectively. Chitosan-based bio-resin surfaces were found to have 70.05% more antibacterial activity against E. coli than the surface of penicillin, which is frequently employed as an antibiotic medication in these circumstances.

Source: Results in Engineering

DOI: 10.1016/j.rineng.2025.107557