Trade-offs in thermal and mechanical properties of cellulose films from bacterial cellulose powder induced by ultrasonication duration

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Dieter Rahmadiawan, Tio Baskara, Hairul Abral, Eni Sugiarti, Ahmad Novi Muslimin, Shih-Chen Shi, Thiago F. Santos, Imtiaz Ali Laghari

2026 Teknomekanik Vol. 9 Issue 2 Article Cited by 0

Abstract

Understanding the trade-offs between thermal and mechanical properties is crucial for optimizing the performance of cellulose films from bacterial cellulose powders (BCP). This study leverages ultrasonication as an eco-friendly method to enhance these properties in BCP-based films while investigating the consequences of varying ultrasonication durations. BCP was sonicated at 250 W for 15 and 30 minutes. Results demonstrated that increasing ultrasonication duration significantly improves tensile strength, toughness, and transparency. The 30-minute sonication yielded the most robust and transparent films, with the highest mechanical strength and toughness. Conversely, while a shorter sonication of 15 minutes slightly improved the thermal stability of the films, increasing Tmax from 317°C for non-sonicated films to 351°C, a longer duration of 30 minutes reduced Tmax to 323°C. This illustrates a clear trade-off between enhancing mechanical properties and maintaining thermal stability. The findings provide insights into a simple yet effective approach for producing environmentally friendly, non-wood-based BC films, emphasizing the need to balance both thermal and mechanical enhancements through controlled ultrasonication. © 2026, Universitas Negeri Padang. All rights reserved.© The Author(s). Published by Universitas Negeri Padang. This is an open-access article under the: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Affiliations

National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universitas Negeri Padang, Indonesia; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universitas Andalas, Indonesia; National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Indonesia; Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil; Department of Electrical Engineering, The University of Larkano, Pakistan