Characterization of PLA Nanocomposites with Bacterial Cellulose from Banana Peel

Graduate #68
Discipline: Nanoscience
Subcategory: Nanoscience
Session: 3
Room: Park Tower 8228

Erin-Nicole O Scott - Tuskegee University

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Over the last fifty years, there has been an increased demand for based petroleum based polymer products worldwide. More recently, there has been a major effort to investigate the use of bio-based plastics in response to the of limited supply of petroleum, and environmental concerns. Poly lactic acid (PLA), a bio-based polymer, was used in this study to manufacture nanofiber mats using a Force Spinning method. Bacterial cellulose was grown using a k. zylinus SCOBY. Banana peels provided the sugars necessary for the proliferation of the k. zylinus bacteria to facilitate cellulosic growth in theses cultures. The fiber mats were characterized on the basis of their thermal, mechanical and morphological properties. These materials have potential applications in packaging and filtration.

Funder Acknowledgement(s): I would like to acknowledge CREST for the opportunity.

Faculty Advisor: Maria Calhoun, escott4375@tuskegee.edu

Role: I combined cellulose from banana peels and made fibers from it to characterize its mechanical properties.