Reinforcement of Physical Properties of Biodegradable Cellulose Composites for Landfill using Cellulose-Based Resins

The general garbage bags are made of polyethylene(PE) or polypropylene(PP), and most of the garbage bags are landfilled in the ground and incinerated. Landfill garbage bags manufactured using petroleum-based resins such as PE and PP take more than 500 years to decompose naturally in the ground. In addition, when PP, PE bags are incinerated, dioxins and volatile organic compounds, which are first-class carcinogens, are generated, which poses a threat to human health.<br/>Garbage bags using resins such as PLA(Poly lactic acid), PBS(Polybutylene succinate) and PBAT(Polybutylene adipate terephthalate), which are biodegradable polymers, are decomposed only under composting conditions(58^oC, within 6months), and are difficult to decompose when buried in the ground at room temperature, so they are incinerated like general garbage bags made of PP or PE. Therefore, even if biodegradable plastic materials such as PLA and PBS are selected, it will not be the ultimate eco-friendly product.<br/>In order to replace garbage bags made of PP or PE, which cause environmental pollution, cellulose material, which is abundant on earth and can be biodegraded in soil, was used as a biodegradable garbage bag material for landfill. However, the film materials using cellulose resin have problems such as lack of elasticity and low tear strength.<br/>As a study to improve the physical properties of these cellulose films, the physical properties of cellulose-CNF composites, which were compounded by adding CNF(Cellulose nanofibers), were investigated. In addition, the physical properties such as elasticity, flexibility, and biodegradability were investigated for cellulose composite films compounded with bio-organic compound additives such as eco-friendly plasticizers and starches, and the possibility of using these cellulose composite films as materials for resource circulation garbage bags was examined.