Electro-spun transparent film from banana pseudo-stem native cellulose using N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide solvent system

Abstract

The study-utilized electrospinning to prepare a transparent film from native cellulose extracted from banana pseudo stems. The process of electrospinning was performed at room temperature conditions, after which the cellulose film was obtained through water coagulation. Dimethyl sulfoxide and dimethylformamide were added to the electrospinning solution to adjust the surface tension, viscosity, and conductivity of the prepared solutions. The formed thin film was characterized using Infrared spectroscopy (IR) and X-ray crystallography tests to confirm the elimination of non-cellulosic materials during extraction. It was revealed that the banana fibers were dominated by crystallinity and converted from cellulose-I to cellulose-II after dissolution in N-methyl morpholine N-oxide (NMMO). Scanning electron microscopy images revealed that fiber and electro-spun film morphologies could be achieved by varying sodium hydroxide solution concentration and solution parameters during fiber treatment and electrospinning. Concentration of 17.5 % (wt./v)of the alkaline solution showed to be more effective in changing the surface morphology of the fiber. The structure and mechanical characteristics of the films were influenced most by the concentration of banana native cellulose, process stability, and the solidification of the electro-spun fibers. The film exhibited an initial degradation temperature of 165°C, a light transmittance of 83.3 % in the visible UV range, and a tensile strength ranged from 5.83 MPa to 8.13 MPa. This performance highlights its potential applications in various fields, including packaging and biomedical engineering.