Synthesis and Characterization of Eco-Friendly Bio-Composite from Fenugreek as a Natural Resource
Nayem Hossain, Mohammad Asaduzzaman Chowdhury, Tauhidul Islam Noman, Md. Masud Rana, Md. Hasan Ali, Raja Saad Alruwais, Md Shafiul Alam, Khalid A. Alamry, Mahmood D. Aljabri, Mohammed M. Rahman
Abstract
The present study show the usability of starch (tamarind) based-bio-composite film reinforced by fenugreek by various percentages to replace the traditional petrochemical plastics. The prepared bio-composite films were systematically characterized using the universal testing machine (UTM), soil degradation, scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), and antibacterial tests. The experiments showed that a lower percentage of fenugreek improves biodegradation and mechanical strength. More than 60% of biodegradation occurred in only 30 days. Almost 3 N/mm2 tensile strength and 6.5% tensile strain were obtained. The presence of micropores confirmed by SEM images may accelerate the biodegradation process. Antibacterial activity was observed with two samples of synthesized bio-composite, due to photoactive compounds confirmed by FTIR spectra. The glass transition temperature was shown to be higher than the room temperature, with the help of thermal analysis. The prepared bio-composite containing 5% and 10% fenugreek showed antibacterial activities.