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Development and Characterization of Chitosan and Beeswax–Chitosan Coated Biodegradable Corn Husk and Sugarcane Bagasse-Based Cellulose Paper

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Abstract

This research focuses on the development of paper from lignocellulosic agricultural wastes, viz., corn husk (CH), which is an underexplored material and sugarcane baggase (SB), in varying proportions, through soda pulping and enhancement of their functionalities through chitosan and beeswax–chitosan emulsion coatings. Fiber digestion was done at optimized conditions; followed by blowing, quenching and then refining of both treated CH and SB pulp to a Canadian Standard Freeness (CSF) of 400–450 mL. The handsheets of 80 GSM (grammage) were prepared as per the standard ISO-5269/1 and were tested for their mechanical and barrier properties as per standard methods of ISO. Handsheets developed from the blend of SB and CH (50:50) and SB fibers (100%) were found to have better mechanical strength (in terms of burst, tensile and tear strength) in comparison to CH fibers (100%). The effect of coatings on mechanical, water resistance, micro-structural, and biodegradable properties of the cellulose papers were also assessed. The chitosan coating significantly improved (p < 0.05) the mechanical properties of papers, the barrier properties against water vapor, moisture and air were also enhanced (up to 85%). Papers coated with beeswax–chitosan emulsion had the longest absorbency time, followed by chitosan-coated and uncoated papers. The results advocated for beeswax–chitosan emulsion as the best among the coatings tested, for aforementioned cellulose papers to enhance their barrier properties.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Technology, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India

    Aastha Bhardwaj & Vasudha Sharma

  2. CRDT, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, New Delhi, India

    Nitya Sharma & J. K. Sahu

  3. Indian Institute of Packaging, Mumbai, India

    Tanweer Alam

  4. Department of Chemistry, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India

    Hinna Hamid & Mohammad Sarwar Alam

  5. Department of Foods and Nutrition, Government Home Science College, Chandigarh, India

    Vasudha Bansal

Authors
  1. Aastha Bhardwaj
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  4. Vasudha Sharma
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  5. J. K. Sahu
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Contributions

AB: Idea conception and Conceptualization, formal analysis, writing-original draft. NS: Formal analysis, Data curation, Writing – Review & editing. TA: Project administration, Supervision. VS: Supervision, Project administration, Writing – Review & editing. JKS: Resources, Project administration. HH: Project administration, Supervision, Writing – Review & editing. VB: Analysis, Writing – Review & editing. MSA: Project administration.

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Correspondence to Hinna Hamid.

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Bhardwaj, A., Sharma, N., Alam, T. et al. Development and Characterization of Chitosan and Beeswax–Chitosan Coated Biodegradable Corn Husk and Sugarcane Bagasse-Based Cellulose Paper. Waste Biomass Valor 14, 1625–1636 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-022-01952-1

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