Progress in the field of biodegradable materials has been significantly accelerated in recent years, driven by the search for sustainable substitutes for fossil-derived resources. This study investigates the formulation of biodegradable films composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and nanocellulose extracted from rice husk. The rice husk underwent alkaline treatment and bleaching for cellulose extraction, followed by sulfuric acid hydrolysis to obtain nanocellulose. The cellulose and nanocellulose were characterized through Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). Films of pure PVA and those reinforced with 1 wt. % of nanocellulose were prepared using the solvent casting method. The evaluations showed that the modulus of elasticity and tensile strength of the PVA/nanocellulose films were increased by 295.45% and 29.6%, respectively, compared to the pure PVA film. The PVA/nanocellulose film exhibited the lowest solubility and water vapor permeability. Optical Microscopy confirmed a flawless surface for the nanocellulose-reinforced film, while the cellulose- and rice husk-reinforced films displayed irregularities. In the biodegradability assessment, the nanocellulose-reinforced film was the only one that withstood the experimental conditions. The results highlight the effectiveness of nanocellulose in enhancing PVA properties, making these films promising for sustainable packaging applications.

This study introduces cellulose films enriched with vitamin A/E liposomes as sustainable, bioactive dressings for tattoo aftercare. Morphological analysis showed a smoother, more continuous microtexture than the neat cellulose films, while x‐ray diffraction indicated reduced crystallinity upon liposome incorporation. Optically, the liposome–cellulose films combined strong ultraviolet shielding across 300–400 nm with visible transparency. Time‐resolved contact‐angle measurements placed them between neat cellulose and polyurethane, indicating controlled fluid uptake consistent with a moist, non‐occlusive interface. Thermogravimetry revealed a higher peak degradation temperature with only a minimal change in onset. In uniaxial tension, the films reached a peak modulus of 16 GPa and maximum strength of 290 MPa at 50°C temperature, approaching high‐performance nanocellulose benchmarks. Together, these results show that liposome–cellulose films integrate UV shielding, tunable wettability, and enhanced thermal‐mechanical response, advancing a bio‐based alternative to conventional dressings for newly tattooed skin.

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) waste is a major environmental concern, yet practical routes to upgrade it into higher value-added materials remain limited. Here, post-consumer EPS was dissolved in ethyl acetate and solvent-cast into films containing cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and a sunflower oil. Three formulations were produced: F-EPS (100% EPS), F-EPS + CEL (80% EPS/20% CNC), and F-EPS + CEL + OIL (80% EPS/15% CNC/5% oil). CNC markedly enhanced optical shielding, reducing transmittance at 400 nm from ≈58% (F-EPS) to ≈18% (CNC containing films). All films remained hydrophobic, showed negligible water uptake, and exhibited low mass loss after 30 days of accelerated weathering ($\Delta M=1$–$3\%$). Tensile testing showed that F-EPS had the highest UTS and elongation at break (10.0 ± 0.6 MPa and 10.5 ± 0.4%), whereas adding cellulose increased the elastic modulus (249.5 ± 29.0 MPa to 358.4 ± 64.8 MPa) but reduced UTS and elongation (8.2 ± 0.2 MPa and 5.4 ± 2.5%). Oil addition led to a further reduction in UTS and elongation (6.2 ± 0.4 MPa and 3.6 ± 0.0%), while the modulus returned to a value statistically similar to neat F-EPS. FTIR and XRD confirmed preservation of the EPS chemical fingerprint and a predominantly amorphous structure ($2\theta \approx 20$–30°). Overall, EPS + CNC + OIL films combine hydrophobicity, UV-screening, and elastic modulus similar to neat F-EPS, supporting their use as moisture-resistant, UV screening protective topcoats for non-food-contact paperboard packaging.

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)-based films containing glycerol and quercetin were prepared by casting as potential active-packaging materials. The effects of the glycerol/quercetin ratio on structural, thermal, mechanical, barrier, and antioxidant properties were investigated. Neat PVA and ternary formulations with PVA/glycerol/quercetin ratios of 70/20/10 (PVA+Gly+Q10) and 70/10/20 (PVA+Gly+Q20) by mass were characterized by FTIR, XRD, SEM, contact angle, TGA/DTG, tensile testing, water vapor permeability (WVP), total phenolic content, and DPPH assays. FTIR indicated changes in hydrogen bonding without new covalent functionalities, while apparent whole-film crystallinity indices were 16.2%, 11.1%, and 10.6%, respectively. Tensile tests included additional glycerol-rich and quercetin-rich endpoint controls to characterize the mechanical range of the formulation series. Neat PVA exhibited the highest maximum stress ($15.67\pm 1.49$ MPa). PVA+Gly+Q20 showed a strain at break of $256.87\pm 115.68$% and an apparent tensile modulus of $26.61\pm 3.40$ MPa. The glycerol-rich endpoint exhibited high extensibility, whereas the quercetin-rich endpoint showed a markedly higher apparent tensile modulus ($404.69\pm 45.72$ MPa). DPPH activity increased from 11.18% for PVA to 35.38% and 44.31% for PVA+Gly+Q10 and PVA+Gly+Q20, respectively. PVA+Gly+Q20 also exhibited approximately 68% lower mean WVP than PVA+Gly+Q10, with no significant formulation effect. These results support further development of PVA+Gly+Q20 for active packaging.

The present study aims to evaluate the mechanical properties, colorimetric characteristics, and decay resistance of Pinus elliottii woods treated with oxides synthesized via green chemistry. For this purpose, an aqueous extract from Eucalyptus dunnii leaves was used to synthesize particles based on copper- and zinc-based oxides, as well as a binary oxide system (CuO/ZnO). Sodium polyacrylate was employed as a dispersant, impregnating the oxides into the wood through a horizontal autoclave using a modified Bethell process, assisted by a compressor, applying a pressure of 0.8 MPa for 30 min. The exposure to weathering aging did not significantly alter the mechanical properties of the samples, but it caused the leaching of particles from the treated wood surface, as shown by colorimetric results. Regarding the decay resistance, the copper-based oxide proved to be the most effective treatment against Trametes versicolor (a white-rot fungus), reducing mass loss down to 1.2%. The CuO/ZnO formulation reduced the mass loss caused by Gloeophyllum trabeum to 1.1%, while the zinc oxide showed minimal efficacy. Thus, oxides synthesized via green chemistry using aqueous leaf extracts and mild thermal conditions for synthesis and calcination proved effective in enhancing the wood resistance against biotic deterioration agents.