Industrial by-products of tiger nut starch as a source of cellulose nanocrystals for biodegradable packaging materials.

The development of eco-friendly, biodegradable nanomaterials is essential for promoting the sustainable utilization of industry by-products from tiger nut starch. This study focuses on the extraction of cellulose nanocrystals (TN-CNC) from tiger nut starch by-products through acid hydrolysis, as well as evaluation of their effects on the characteristics of starch-based biodegradable packaging. The TN-CNC was identified as having a rod-like morphology, exhibiting high crystallinity (CI = 87.2 ± 2.4 %), stable thermal properties (T = 299.1 °C), an average length of 278.4 ± 91.6 nm, and a notable aspect ratio (23.1 ± 8.8). TN-CNC demonstrated compatibility with starch substrates and enhanced the microstructure of natural starch films through self-assembly and the formation of new hydrogen bonds. Incorporating 1.0 % TN-CNC improved the crystallinity of the starch films from 16.2 % to 23.7 %, and increased their thermal stability from 271.8 °C to 289.3 °C. This concentration also significantly increased tensile strength by up to 104.2 %. These findings advocate for the upcycling of tiger nut starch by-products, highlighting their potential in developing high-performance biodegradable packaging materials.