Development and analysis of environmental friendly biocomposite films with pomegranate peel as filler for conventional applications

The work aims to probe the chances of utilizing the waste of pomegranate peel powder as a filler material alongside the polymer matrix. PVA is used as a polymer matrix in this study and the improvisation of its properties are the main objective by utilizing the pomegranate peel powder. By solution casting method, PVA/PP biocomposite films were prepared with varying weight % (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%) of pomegranate peel powder and are examined with FTIR, XRD, morphological studies, thermal analysis, tensile property, antibacterial test, and degradation test. The biodegradable films’ tensile strength was discovered to be 18.5 MPa, a 35% increase over films devoid of essential oil. The use of essential oil improved the thermal stability as well; the beginning degradation temperature increased by 40% to 210°C. Additionally, antimicrobial tests showed a 92% decrease in bacterial growth, demonstrating the essential oil’s effectiveness as an antibacterial agent. In order to evaluate the barrier qualities of the films, water vapor permeability was tested. It was discovered that the water vapor transfer rate was 2.3 g/m2/day, demonstrating remarkable resistance to moisture permeability. The aforementioned tests indicate that the use of pomegranate peel powder and PVA in biocomposite films results in improved biodegradation, as well as antibacterial activity, and that can be utilized in various eco-friendly applications. In the same way, they show improved tensile as well as thermal properties which suggest the utilization as packaging materials.