The properties of starch/cellulose/polyvinyl alcohol composite as hydrodegradable film

Hydrodegradable material as the replacement for plastic could be a better option than biodegradable material due to its solubility in water, which could extend the landfill’s lifespan. On the other hand, biodegradable material requires tightly controlled waste management and proper facilities for degradation purposes. The starch film is highly soluble in water, exhibiting poor mechanical strength. This study aims to improve the strength of starch film by adding cellulose, which was isolated from rice husk and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Results showed that Type 1 – cellulose was extracted from rice husk. With the addition of PVA to the starch/cellulose film, the homogeneity of the mixture improved, as illustrated in FESEM images. The mechanical strength of film also greatly improved from 2 MPa to 4.2 MPa when 3 g of PVA was used. The film showed the sign of degradation after being immersed in water for 24 h due to its high-water uptake property (∼89%). This starch/cellulose/starch film could be used as an edible wrap and single-use material for varied applications such as disposable plates. © The Author(s) 2022.