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Biodegradable and Biobased Mulch Films: Highly Stretchable PLA Composites with Different Industrial Vegetable Waste
Danila Merino1, Arkadiusz Zych1, Athanassia Athanassiou1
1Smart Materials Group, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego, 30, Genoa16163, Italy.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|October 5, 2022
Summary
This study developed highly stretchable, biodegradable agricultural mulch films from polylactic acid (PLA) and vegetable waste. These sustainable films offer improved soil biodegradability and potential fertilizer benefits, presenting a green alternative for agriculture.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Agricultural Science
- Polymer Science
Background:
- Conventional agricultural mulches often rely on non-biodegradable plastics, posing environmental challenges.
- There is a growing need for sustainable and biodegradable alternatives in agricultural practices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop highly stretchable, biobased, and biodegradable agricultural mulch films.
- To characterize the mechanical, physical, and biodegradability properties of these novel films.
- To explore the potential of vegetable waste as a filler in polylactic acid (PLA) based mulch films.
Main Methods:
- Preparation of polylactic acid (PLA) composite films incorporating 10-30 wt% of nonedible vegetable wastes (spinach stems, tomato pomace, cocoa shells).
- Characterization of film properties including tensile strength, elongation at break, water solubility, moisture content, and water vapor permeability.
- Assessment of soil biodegradability through a 6-month soil burial experiment.
- Analysis of micro- and macronutrient content in the developed composite films.
Main Results:
- Films exhibited high stretchability (up to 460% elongation) and tensile strengths (10-24 MPa), tunable by vegetable waste type and content.
- Developed mulches demonstrated low water solubility (1-15 wt%) and moisture content (1-3 wt%), with water vapor permeability comparable to commercial biodegradable mulches.
- Incorporation of 20 wt% spinach stems significantly enhanced PLA soil biodegradability, increasing from 0% to 38% after 6 months.
- Composite films contained valuable plant micro- and macronutrients, indicating potential as slow-release fertilizers.
Conclusions:
- Highly stretchable and biodegradable agricultural mulch films can be successfully prepared using PLA and various nonedible vegetable wastes.
- The developed films offer a sustainable, biobased alternative to conventional mulches, with tunable properties and added fertilizer value.
- This research contributes to the circular economy by valorizing agricultural byproducts into functional materials for sustainable agriculture.
