Bio-based wearable films and method of preparation thereof

1. A method of producing a bio-derived wearable film, the method comprising

blending palm stem pith and water to form a raw plant mixture;

heating the raw plant mixture to form a cooked plant mixture;

acid treating the cooked plant mixture with an aqueous acid at 30 to 60° C. to form a treated plant mixture;

mixing the treated plant mixture with a starch, a cellulose, a synthetic polymer, a plant hydrogel, glycerin, and a dye to form an uncured mixture;

heating the uncured mixture to 125 to 175° C. to form a cured mixture; and

drying the cured mixture at 60 to 100° C. to form the bio-derived wearable film.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

prior to the heating the raw plant mixture, washing the palm stem pith with a sodium hypochlorite solution,

adjusting a pH of the uncured mixture to a pH of 6.5 to 8.5, and

wherein the dye is a flower dye obtained by:

blending a flower in the genus Bougainvillea and water to form a flower extract;

adding ethanol to the flower extract to form a raw dye mixture; and

heating the raw dye mixture to 25 to 65° C. to produce the dye,

wherein the palm stem pith is undried date palm stem pith,

wherein aqueous acid is 80% sulfuric acid,

wherein the starch is present in an amount of 5 to 15 wt. %;

wherein the synthetic polymer is present in an amount of 2.5 to 7.5 wt. %;

wherein the plant hydrogel is present in an amount of 12.5 to 22.5 wt. %;

wherein the glycerin is present in an amount of 3.5 to 8.5 wt. %; and

wherein the treated plant mixture is present in an amount of 31.5 to 76.5 wt. %,

wherein wt. % is based on a total weight of the bio-derived wearable film,

wherein the synthetic polymer is polyvinyl chloride,

wherein the plant hydrogel comprises aloe vera gel, okra gel, and acacia arabica gel,

wherein the bio-derived wearable film comprises 32.5 to 45 wt. % cellulose based on a total weight of bio-derived wearable film, has a tensile modulus of 0.25 to 2.0 GPa, and has a tensile strength of 50 to 100 MPa/kg·m 3 ;

wherein the cellulose is in the form of nanofibrils having a diameter of 5-10 nm and a length of less than 100 nm; and

wherein the starch is a functionalized with a secondary alkyl xanthate.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the raw plant mixture is heated to 125 to 175° C. at 15 to 45 PSI gauge.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein method further comprises, prior to the heating the raw plant mixture, washing the palm stem pith with a sodium hypochlorite solution.

5. The method of claim 1 , the aqueous acid is 80% sulfuric acid.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the starch is present in an amount of 5 to 15 wt. %;

the synthetic polymer is present in an amount of 2.5 to 7.5 wt. %;

the plant hydrogel is present in an amount of 12.5 to 22.5 wt. %;

the glycerin is present in an amount of 3.5 to 8.5 wt. %; and

the treated plant mixture is present in an amount of 31.5 to 76.5 wt. %, each based on a total weight of the bio-derived wearable film.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the synthetic polymer is polyvinyl chloride.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plant hydrogel comprises aloe vera gel, okra gel, and acacia arabica gel.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting a pH of the uncured mixture to a pH of 6.5 to 8.5.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dye is a dye derived from a flower in the genus Bougainvillea and the method further comprises:

blending a flower in the genus Bougainvillea and water to form a flower extract;

adding ethanol to the flower extract to form a raw dye mixture; and

heating the raw dye mixture to 25 to 65° C. to produce the dye.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bio-derived wearable film comprises nanocellulose having a mean particle size of 10 to 35 nm.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bio-derived wearable film comprises 32.5 to 45 wt % cellulose based on a total weight of bio-derived wearable film,

has a tensile modulus of 0.25 to 2.0 GPa, and

has a tensile strength of 50 to 100 MPa/kg·m 3 .

13. A non-woven bio-derived wearable film, comprising

an acid-hydrolyzed palm stem pith;

a starch;

a cellulose;

a synthetic polymer;

a plant hydrogel;

glycerin; and

a dye.

14. The non-woven bio-derived wearable film of claim 13 , wherein

the starch is present in an amount of 5 to 15 wt %;

the synthetic polymer is present in an amount of 2.5 to 7.5 wt %;

the plant hydrogel is present in an amount of 12.5 to 22.5 wt %; and

the glycerin is present in an amount of 3.5 to 8.5 wt %, each based on a total weight of bio-derived wearable film.

15. The non-woven bio-derived wearable film of claim 13 , wherein the bio-derived wearable film comprises nanocellulose having a mean particle size of 10 to 35 nm.

16. The non-woven bio-derived wearable film of claim 13 , wherein the bio-derived wearable film

comprises 32.5 to 45 wt % cellulose based on a total weight of the bio-derived wearable film;

has a tensile modulus of 0.25 to 2.0 GPa; and

has a tensile strength of 50 to 100 MPa/kg·m 3 .

17. The non-woven bio-derived wearable film of claim 13 , wherein the synthetic polymer is polyvinyl chloride.

18. The non-woven bio-derived wearable film of claim 13 , wherein the plant hydrogel comprises aloe vera gel, okra gel, and acacia arabica gel.

19. The non-woven bio-derived wearable film of claim 13 , wherein the bio-derived wearable

has a water absorption of 0.00 to 0.16% measured according to ASTM D570;

has a carbonate content of 100 to 200 ppm; and

shows no cracks when tested according to ASTM D5419.

20. The non-woven bio-derived wearable film of claim 13 , wherein the dye is a dye derived from a flower in the genus Bougainvillea.