Biocomposite Films Based on Biopolysaccharide and Hydrothermal Carbonised Pine Sawdust Waste: Properties, Performance, and Degradation Behaviour in Different Environments
- 1Dipartimento di Ingegneria, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed. 6, 90128 Palermo, Italy
- 2Dipartimento di Ingegneria e Architettura, Università degli Studi di Enna “Kore”, Cittadella Universitaria, 94100 Enna, Italy
Abstract
Pine sawdust waste was converted by hydrothermal carbonisation into carbon-rich particles (HTC-WS) and incorporated into chitosan to produce a sustainable biocomposite film (Chit_HTC-WS). Chitosan–microcrystalline cellulose film (Chit_MCC) and neat chitosan (Chit) were also prepared for comparison. The films were characterised by structural, mechanical, thermal, surface, UV resistance, and degradation properties in freshwater, simulated seawater, and soil burial conditions. The results obtained highlight that HTC-WS provides UV blocking and reduces transparency in the visible range, similarly to MCC. Despite their different chemical natures and elemental compositions, both HTC-WS and MCC can reduce chitosan rigidity, increasing the ductility of the film, albeit less pronouncedly, compared to the neat chitosan film. Both HTC-WS and MCC can slightly improve the photo-oxidation resistance of chitosan-based films due to their ability to absorb harmful UVB rays. Neat Chit shows rapid degradation in soil burial (up to disappearance within ca. 15 days), whereas Chit_MCC and, even more so, Chit_HTC-WS, show significantly less degradation; specifically, Chit_HTC-WS does not disappear even after 96 days, exhibiting weight loss of ca. 30%, whereas Chit_MCC disappears after 96 days. Interestingly, chitosan shows different hydrolytic degradation in freshwater and simulated seawater, and as expected, the presence of salts slows down its hydrolysis. The presence of MCC and HTC-WS reduces the hydrolytic degradation of chitosan-based films, resulting in a final weight loss of approximately 30% in both environments.
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BibTeX
@article{liberto2026biocomposite,
title = {{Biocomposite Films Based on Biopolysaccharide and Hydrothermal Carbonised Pine Sawdust Waste: Properties, Performance, and Degradation Behaviour in Different Environments}},
author = {Erika Alessia Di Liberto and Maurizio Volpe and Antonio Messineo and Nadka T. Dintcheva},
journal = {Molecules},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/molecules31203771},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/31/20/3771},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Biocomposite Films Based on Biopolysaccharide and Hydrothermal Carbonised Pine Sawdust Waste: Properties, Performance, and Degradation Behaviour in Different Environments
AU - Erika Alessia Di Liberto
AU - Maurizio Volpe
AU - Antonio Messineo
AU - Nadka T. Dintcheva
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - Molecules
DO - 10.3390/molecules31203771
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/31/20/3771
AB - Pine sawdust waste was converted by hydrothermal carbonisation into carbon-rich particles (HTC-WS) and incorporated into chitosan to produce a sustainable biocomposite film (Chit_HTC-WS). Chitosan–microcrystalline cellulose film (Chit_MCC) and neat chitosan (Chit) were also prepared for comparison. The films were characterised by structural, mechanical, thermal, surface, UV resistance, and degradation properties in freshwater, simulated seawater, and soil burial conditions. The results obtained highlight that HTC-WS provides UV blocking and reduces transparency in the visible range, similarly to MCC. Despite their different chemical natures and elemental compositions, both HTC-WS and MCC can reduce chitosan rigidity, increasing the ductility of the film, albeit less pronouncedly, compared to the neat chitosan film. Both HTC-WS and MCC can slightly improve the photo-oxidation resistance of chitosan-based films due to their ability to absorb harmful UVB rays. Neat Chit shows rapid degradation in soil burial (up to disappearance within ca. 15 days), whereas Chit_MCC and, even more so, Chit_HTC-WS, show significantly less degradation; specifically, Chit_HTC-WS does not disappear even after 96 days, exhibiting weight loss of ca. 30%, whereas Chit_MCC disappears after 96 days. Interestingly, chitosan shows different hydrolytic degradation in freshwater and simulated seawater, and as expected, the presence of salts slows down its hydrolysis. The presence of MCC and HTC-WS reduces the hydrolytic degradation of chitosan-based films, resulting in a final weight loss of approximately 30% in both environments.
SN - 1420-3049
ER -