Sains Malaysiana 54(2)(2025): 535-545

http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2025-5402-18

Valorization of Chemically-Treated Recycled Carbon Black as a Filler in Biodegradable Cellulose-Based Mulching Films

(Valorisasi Karbon Hitam Kitar Semula Dirawat Secara Kimia sebagai Pengisi dalam Filem Sungkupan Berasaskan Selulosa Terbiodegradasi)

NUR ALIA SAHIRA AZMI¹, SIEW XIAN CHIN^2,3, SARANI ZAKARIA^1,3, JUNFEI TIAN⁴ & CHIN HUA CHIA^1,3,*

¹Materials Science Program, Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
²ASASIpintar Program, Pusat GENIUS@Pintar Negara, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
³Quantum Materials and Technology Research Group, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
⁴State Key Laboratory of Pulp and Paper Engineering, School of Light Industry and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China

Diserahkan: 31 Ogos 2024/Diterima: 12 November 2024

Abstract

Researchers are exploring ways to incorporate carbon-based fillers like recycled carbon black (rCB) into cellulose films for use as biodegradable mulching films in agriculture. Adding dark fillers can increase opacity to control light exposure and moisture for optimizing crop environments. This study aimed to create an eco-friendly black mulching film by mixing treated rCB into a regenerated cellulose matrix derived from cotton linters. The rCB was chemically treated to modify its properties. Cellulose films were made with 10%, 25%, and 50% treated rCB mixed into a cotton linter cellulose solution. The films were characterized for properties like morphology, transparency, thermal stability, wettability, water vapor permeability, tensile strength, and soil biodegradation. Compared to untreated rCB, the treated filler improved the films’ cross-section, surface area, and porosity. Higher rCB increased opacity but decreased tensile strength. Adding 10% treated rCB optimized the decomposition rate. Increasing to 50% progressively slowed decomposition. The rCB made the films more hydrophilic, and 10% treated rCB gave the best water vapor transmission performance. While rCB did not impact overall biodegradability, the 10% treated rCB film degraded fastest in soil once surface deterioration began. In summary, incorporating 10% chemically treated recycled carbon black into cellulose films derived from cotton linters produced an optimized eco-friendly black biodegradable mulching film material.

Keywords: Cellulose film; degradation; hydrophilicity; porosity; rCB; transparency

Abstrak

Para penyelidik sedang mengkaji cara untuk memasukkan pengisi berasaskan karbon seperti karbon hitam (rCB) kitar semula ke dalam filem selulosa untuk digunakan sebagai filem sungkupan biodegradasi dalam pertanian. Menambah pengisi gelap boleh meningkatkan kelegapan untuk mengawal pendedahan cahaya dan kelembapan untuk mengoptimumkan persekitaran tanaman. Penyelidikan ini bertujuan untuk mencipta filem sungkupan hitam mesra alam dengan mencampurkan rCB terawat ke dalam matriks selulosa yang dijana semula yang diperoleh daripada linter kapas. rCB telah dirawat secara kimia untuk mengubah suai sifatnya. Filem selulosa dihasilkan dengan 10%, 25% dan 50% rCB terawat yang dicampurkan ke dalam larutan selulosa linter kapas. Filem tersebut dicirikan untuk sifat seperti morfologi, ketelusan, kestabilan terma, kebolehbasahan, kebolehtelapan wap air, kekuatan tegangan dan biodegradasi tanah. Berbanding dengan rCB yang tidak dirawat, pengisi yang dirawat meningkatkan keratan rentas, luas permukaan dan keliangan filem. rCB yang lebih tinggi meningkatkan kelegapan tetapi mengurangkan kekuatan tegangan. Penambahan 10% rCB yang dirawat mengoptimumkan kadar penguraian. Peningkatan secara progresif sebanyak 50% dalam memperlahankan penguraian. rCB menjadikan filem lebih hidrofilik dan 10% rCB yang dirawat memberikan prestasi penghantaran wap air yang terbaik. Walaupun rCB tidak memberi kesan kepada kebolehbiodegradan keseluruhan, filem rCB terawat 10% terdegradasi paling cepat dalam tanah sebaik sahaja kemerosotan permukaan bermula. Ringkasnya, menggabungkan 10% karbon hitam kitar semula yang dirawat secara kimia ke dalam filem selulosa yang diperoleh daripada linter kapas menghasilkan bahan filem sungkupan biodegradasi hitam mesra alam yang dioptimumkan.

Kata kunci: Filem selulosa; hidrofilik; keliangan; kemerosotan; ketelusan; rCB

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*Pengarang untuk surat-menyurat; email: chia@ukm.edu.my