Sustainable Bioplastics From Land and Sea Waste: Structure, Thermal Stability, and Mechanical Behavior Under Accelerated Weathering

Abstract

Growing environmental concerns associated with conventional plastics have led to an increasing demand for sustainable alternatives. This study reports on the development of a biocomposite material derived from two commonly available waste products: fish scales and orange peels. The resulting bioplastics were characterized in terms of their physicochemical, mechanical, and thermal properties, as well as how these properties varied under accelerated aging. It was found that the non-crosslinked films exhibited a greater decrease in Young's modulus of more than 50%. The wettability of the bioplastics increased due to the degradation of the films, resulting in water absorption increasing by up to 300% for Ma films and by up to 200% for Mb and Mc films. These results demonstrate that combining fish scales and orange peels produces a biodegradable composite with improved mechanical strength, albeit reduced durability under abiotic degradation. This approach provides a sustainable alternative to conventional plastics and contributes to the valorization of agricultural and marine waste.