Structural and functional insights into hydrolyzed bacterial cellulose reinforced chitosan-polyethylene oxide blends

This study presents the innovative development of hydrolyzed bacterial cellulose (HBC)-reinforced polyethylene oxide (PEO) and chitosan (CH) composite blend films, showcasing significant advancements in their mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties. By incorporating HBC at varying ratios (2, 4, and 6% wt), the blend films demonstrated a remarkable improvement in tensile strength (from 2.86 to 4.46 MPa) and elongation at break (from 9.99 to 12.79%), attributed to enhanced chain entanglement and filler-reinforcement effects. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) revealed an increase in storage modulus (E') and glass transition temperature (Tg) with HBC addition, reflecting altered segmental dynamics and strengthened intermolecular interactions. Thermal analysis showed an elevation in thermal stability, with the decomposition temperature increasing by approximately 10 degrees C for PEO. Surface characterization using AFM and SEM highlighted the formation of a denser surface texture with increased roughness (RMS values rising from 18.8 to 26 nm), ensuring better dispersion and mechanical integrity. FT-IR and XRD confirmed modifications in PEO crystallinity, where CH addition initially reduced PEO crystallinity due to hydrogen bonding, while further HBC incorporation contributed to a partial recovery of ordered regions. Additionally, the entanglement density (N) increased from 230,840 to 582,580 mol.m-3 supporting enhanced network formation. This research uniquely integrates HBC, PEO and CH, into a single system, filling a critical gap in material science and offering eco-friendly, high-performance materials for applications in biomedical devices, food packaging, and sustainable technologies.