Nanocellulose has received increasing attention in science and industry in recent years as a nanoscale material for the reinforcement of polymer matrix composites due to its superior mechanical properties, renewability, and biodegradability. New nanocellulose sources, modifications, and treatments are under development to reduce the high energy required during production and to create a more suitable industrial‐scale production process. Thus, this paper reviews plant‐based nanocellulose composites and their properties, with a focus on their thermal‐related characteristics. The purpose of this review is to establish for readers the impact of the incorporation of nanocellulose on the thermal and dynamic mechanical properties of nanocellulose composites. Understanding of the thermal properties is important for researchers to assess the suitability of the nanocomposites for a variety of applications in response to new and evolving societal requirements. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020, 137, 48544.

This article reviews the recent advances made in polyolefin and natural polymer blends used for packaging applications, with a focus on their degradation. Nondegradable polymers are now considered as a serious environmental problem, and they have become an enormous challenge to waste management. Hence, the degradable polymers are practical solutions to reduce the municipal solid waste (MSW) caused by the use of nondegradable polymers. These degradable options can be produced from three kinds of natural sources:- (1) polysaccharides—starch, cellulose, chitin and chitosan; (2) proteins—soya, wheat gluten, collagen/gelatine; and (3) speciality polymers—such as lignin, natural rubber. One major challenge to producing a degradable blend with the desired properties is merging the hydrophilic characteristics of natural polymers with the hydrophobic characteristics of polyolefin. The aim of this review is to offer a complete overview of polyolefin/natural polymer blends researched for packaging applications.

Agricultural wastes and leaves, which are classified as lignocellulosic biomass, have been used as substrates in the production of fungal foams due to the significant growth of the mushroom industry in recent years. Foam derived from fungi can be utilized in a variety of industrial applications, including the production of packaging materials. Here, white oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus florida) and yellow oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus citrinopileatus) were cultivated on rice husk, sawdust, sugarcane bagasse, and teak leaves. Fungal foams were produced after 30 days of incubation, which were then analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermal analysis (TGA), and chemical structure using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Mechanical testing examined the material’s hardness, resilience, and springiness, and water absorption tests were used to determine the durability of the fungal foams. Our findings demonstrated that fungal foams made from rice husk and teak leaves in both mycelium species showed better mechanical properties, thermal stability, and minimal water absorption compared to the other substrates, and can thus have great potential as efficient packaging materials.

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) were successfully isolated from oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) using sulphuric acid hydrolysis preceded by alkaline deep eutectic solvent (DES) pretreatment and bleaching. In this study, an alkaline DES consisting of potassium carbonate and glycerol (molar ratio of 1:7) was used as the pretreatment solvent to promote the dissolution of lignin and hemicellulose. The processing parameters of acid hydrolysis were optimized using Box-Behnken Design. The results showed that the yield of CNC was 37.1%, under the optimal conditions of 60.0 wt% acid concentration at 46.1 °C for 58.5 min. The field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), chemical composition analysis, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) results indicated that unwanted impurities, such as hemicellulose and lignin, were efficiently eliminated from the raw EFB fibers by DES pretreatment and bleaching. The average diameter of CNC was less than 10 nm. The raw EFB fiber, treated cellulose, and CNC showed crystallinities of 38.7%, 51.2%, and 65.3%, respectively. The CNC had lower thermal stability, which was ascribed to the sulphate group present on the CNC surface.