Characterization of Nanocomposite Membrane Based Bacterial Cellulose Made of Pineapple Waste Reinforced by Graphite Nanoplatelets

Waste is the main problem for the environment. Handling waste for various useful applications has a benefit for the future. This work has been studied for handling pineapple peel waste to make composite film bacterial cellulose nanocomposite membrane (BCNM) with addition graphite nanoplatelet (GNP). The concentration of GNP in the membrane influence the membrane properties. The bacterial cellulose (BC) pellicle was synthesized by using media from pineapple peel waste extract. BC pellicle is cleaned with water and NaOH solution to be free from impactors. BCNM is synthesized through the mechanical disintegration stage. The results of disintegration using high pressure homogenizer at 150 bar and five cycles. BCNM/GNP is synthesized with varying addition of GNP of 2.5, 5.0, 10 and 100 wt% of dry bacterial nanocellulose (BNC). The BC and GNP solution were dried in an oven for 14 h at 80°C. BCNM morphology was observed using SEM. GNP is dispersed and distributed in the BC matrix as reinforcement. FTIR analysis shows many peaks of BNC less pronounced with increasing of GNP. The higher concentration of GNP, the rougher of BCNM. The optimum tensile strength of BCNM was achieved after addition GNP of 2.5 wt%.