Fabrication of Polyethylene Glycol Composite Films Reinforced with Corn Husk-Derived Cellulose Nanocrystals (PEG-CNC) for Shape-Stabilized Phase Change Materials (SSPCMs)

Abstract:

Corn husks, containing 50-55% cellulose, offer a sustainable source of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) with high thermal stability, tensile strength, and biocompatibility, making them ideal for reinforcing Shape-Stabilized Phase Change Materials (SSPCMs). In this study, CNCs were extracted from corn husks and integrated into polyethylene glycol (PEG) composite films to enhance their thermal and structural properties. The extraction process, verified through functional group analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and X-ray diffraction, involved alkali treatment and bleaching. CNC-PEG composite films with varying CNC concentrations (0%, 2.5%, 5%, and 10% by weight) were fabricated via solvent casting and analyzed using TGA and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). DSC revealed exothermic and endothermic peaks indicating crystallization and glass transition, with CNC addition increasing the melting temperature (T_m) by 2.4°C at 2.5% CNC loading. While CNC slightly lowered the decomposition temperature, the improved thermal properties, particularly at 2.5% CNC, show great potential for enhancing the stability and performance of SSPCMs, making them more efficient for thermal energy storage applications.

• Periodical: Solid State Phenomena (Volume 371)
• Pages: 57-63
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/p-Y5wLpt
• Online since: May 2025
• Authors: Ma. Janella M. Borromeo, Chloe Kelly W. Chua, Judelyn F. Lacosta, Lawrence L. Mercado, Sharine Noelle O. Bendulo, Ken Aldren S. Usman, Yasmin D.G. Edañol*
• Keywords: Cellulose Nanocrystal, Corn Husk Cellulose, Food Packaging, Glass Transition Temperature, Polyethylene Glycol Composite Films

References

[1] W. L. de los Santos, F. P. Lansigan, and J. Hansen, "Linking Corn Production, Climate Information and Farm-Level Decision-Making: A Case Study in Isabela, Philippines BT - Climate Prediction and Agriculture: Advances and Challenges," M. V. K. Sivakumar and J. Hansen, Eds. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2007, p.157–164.

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-540-44650-7_16

[2] H. Enawgaw, T. Tesfaye, K. T. Yilma, and D. Y. Limeneh, "Multiple Utilization Ways of Corn By-Products for Biomaterial Production with Bio-Refinery Concept; a Review," Mater. Circ. Econ., vol. 5, no. 1, p.7, 2023.

DOI: 10.1007/s42824-023-00078-6

[3] Y. Edanol, K. Usman, S. Buenviaje, M. Mantua, and L. Payawan, "Utilizing silica from rice hull for the hydrothermal synthesis of zeolite Y," KIMIKA, vol. 29, no. 1, p.17–21, 2018.

DOI: 10.26534/kimika.v29i1.17-21

[4] C. A. de C. Mendes, N. M. S. Ferreira, C. R. G. Furtado, and A. M. F. de Sousa, "Isolation and characterization of nanocrystalline cellulose from corn husk," Mater. Lett., vol. 148, p.26–29, 2015.

DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2015.02.047

[5] A. M. Youssef, A. El-Gendy, and S. Kamel, "Evaluation of corn husk fibers reinforced recycled low density polyethylene composites," Mater. Chem. Phys., vol. 152, p.26–33, 2015.

DOI: 10.1016/j.matchemphys.2014.12.004

[6] M. Gandhi et al., "A Review on Shape-Stabilized Phase Change Materials for Latent Energy Storage in Buildings," Sustainability, vol. 12, no. 22. 2020.

DOI: 10.3390/su12229481

[7] S. B. Şentürk, D. Kahraman, C. Alkan, and İ. Gökçe, "Biodegradable PEG/cellulose, PEG/agarose and PEG/chitosan blends as shape stabilized phase change materials for latent heat energy storage," Carbohydr. Polym., vol. 84, no. 1, p.141–144, 2011.

DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2010.11.015

[8] S. Jia, Y. Zhu, Z. Wang, L. Chen, and L. Fu, "Improvement of shape stability and thermal properties of PCM using polyethylene glycol (PEG)/sisal fiber cellulose (SFC)/graphene oxide (GO)," Fibers Polym., vol. 18, no. 6, p.1171–1179, 2017.

DOI: 10.1007/s12221-017-7093-z

[9] N. H. Sari, I. N. G. Wardana, Y. S. Irawan, and E. Siswanto, "The effect of sodium hydroxide on chemical and mechanical properties of corn husk fiber," Orient. J. Chem., vol. 33, no. 6, p.3037–3042, 2017.

DOI: 10.13005/ojc/330642

[10] A. Oushabi, S. Sair, F. Oudrhiri Hassani, Y. Abboud, O. Tanane, and A. El Bouari, "The effect of alkali treatment on mechanical, morphological and thermal properties of date palm fibers (DPFs): Study of the interface of DPF–Polyurethane composite," South African J. Chem. Eng., vol. 23, p.116–123, 2017.

DOI: 10.1016/j.sajce.2017.04.005

[11] W. Wang, M. Xu, J. Lou, and A. Dong, "Changes in physicomechanical properties and structures of jute fibers after tetraacetylethylenediamine activated hydrogen peroxide treatment," J. Mater. Res. Technol., vol. 9, no. 6, p.15412–15420, 2020.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jmrt.2020.10.096

[12] H. A. Silvério, W. P. Flauzino Neto, N. O. Dantas, and D. Pasquini, "Extraction and characterization of cellulose nanocrystals from corncob for application as reinforcing agent in nanocomposites," Ind. Crops Prod., vol. 44, p.427–436, 2013.

DOI: 10.1016/j.indcrop.2012.10.014

[13] C. Miao and W. Y. Hamad, "Cellulose reinforced polymer composites and nanocomposites: a critical review," Cellulose, vol. 20, no. 5, p.2221–2262, 2013.

DOI: 10.1007/s10570-013-0007-3

[14] Q.-H. Zhou, M. Li, P. Yang, and Y. Gu, "Effect of Hydrogen Bonds on Structures and Glass Transition Temperatures of Maleimide–Isobutene Alternating Copolymers: Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study," Macromol. Theory Simulations, vol. 22, no. 2, p.107–114, Feb. 2013.

DOI: 10.1002/mats.201200057

[15] N. H. Sari and S. Suteja, "Corn husk fibers reinforced polyester composites: tensile strength properties, water absorption behavior, and morphology," in IOP conference series: materials science and engineering, 2020, vol. 722, no. 1, p.12035.

DOI: 10.1088/1757-899x/722/1/012035

[16] D. Trache et al., "Nanocellulose: From Fundamentals to Advanced Applications," Front. Chem., vol. 8, 2020, [Online]. Available: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/chemistry/ articles/.

DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2020.00392