Novel eco-friendly composites: Crotalaria pallida (CP) fiber reinforced guar gum/ polyvinyl alcohol blends for enhanced mechanical and thermal properties
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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55713/jmmm.v36i2.2388Keywords:
Sustainable materials, Biopolymer composites, Crotalaria pallida fibers, Guar gum, Polyvinyl alcoholAbstract
Eco-friendly composites exhibit promising applications in wound dressings, tissue engineering, sustainable packaging, and environmental cleanup. This study investigates the development of novel biodegradable composites utilizing guar gum (GG), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and Crotalaria pallida (CP) fibers, along with wood and nanocellulose, and their characterization. The integration of natural and synthetic polymers with plant fibers enhances mechanical strength, thermal stability, and water resistance. In this study, different loadings of CP material (0.0 g, 0.50 g, 0.75 g, and 1.0 g) and constant amounts of GG and PVA were used to fabricate hybrid films. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis revealed significant shifts in –OH and C=O stretching vibrations, indicating strong intermolecular interactions among GG, PVA, and the reinforcements. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) confirmed well dispersed, compact, and cohesive structures, particularly in fiber and nanocellulose based films. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) showed an increase in surface roughness for CP fiber composites compared to the pure film, while the wood and nanocellulose composites exhibited relatively smoother surfaces with lower root mean square (RMS) values, suggesting improved matrix uniformity. Tensile strength (TS) analysis demonstrated notable improvements upon fiber addition, with values ranging from 1.7 MPa to 6.7 MPa, indicating that the films are suitable for biodegradable packaging and biomedical applications.
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