Bio-based papers from seaweed and coconut fiber: sustainable materials for a greener future

Abstract

• Sargassum wightii and coconut fiber serve as eco-friendly alternatives to wood pulp Biopaper is characterized using SEM, TGA, FTIR, and XRD for detailed structural and thermal analysis. • High water absorption makes bio paper ideal for tissues, towels, and sustainable packaging. • GSM analysis shows bio paper's potential for both lightweight and heavyweight applications Soil burial tests confirm excellent biodegradability, ensuring eco-friendly disposal. The paper industry’s reliance on deforestation for wood pulp has raised environmental concerns and led to fluctuating prices. This study explores the potential of seaweed ( Sargassum wightii ) and coconut waste, abundant in Malaysia, as sustainable alternatives for biopaper production. These materials offer a promising solution to mitigate deforestation, address waste issues, and promote sustainable manufacturing. Three biopaper samples were fabricated using 100 % seaweed, 100 % coconut fiber, and a 50/50 blend of seaweed and coconut fiber. The blending of seaweed and coconut fiber allows for customising biopaper properties, such as density and flexibility, making it suitable for a broader range of applications. To characterise these biopapers, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were employed. Additionally, the grammage (GSM) of each biopaper was determined to compare it with traditional wood pulp-based paper to explore its potential applications. FTIR analysis revealed a wide peak between 3343.47 cm −1 and 3355.75 cm −1 in all samples, confirming the existence of O–H bonds often observed in alcohols. TGA examination at 900 °C demonstrated considerable char production, with the seaweed-based bio paper yielding the most char (26.6 %), followed by the coconut-based paper (15.17 %) and the seaweed-coconut mix (13.49 %). The XRD examination indicates that the structure is largely amorphous, with broad peaks in the 2θ range of 11° to 23°. Water absorption test showed that all biopaper samples were hydrophilic; absorption rates for seaweed-based biopaper were 128 g/m 2 , coconut-based biopaper was 580 g/m 2 , and the mix of seaweed and coconut was 446 g/m 2 . High biodegradability was demonstrated by soil burial tests, which indicated weight reductions of 23 %, 57 %, and 64 % for the blended biopaper, seaweed, and coconut after 14 days, respectively. These results highlight Sargassum wightii ’s potential as a sustainable biopaper material. When mixed with coconut fiber waste, it can increase density and broaden its possible applications, providing a viable alternative to wood-based papers while also encouraging environmental sustainability.

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