Piezoelectric and electrical properties of arrowroot nanocrystalline cellulose-reinforced starch biopolymer composite films for piezoelectric applications

Abstract

This study investigates the use of arrowroot nanocrystalline cellulose (ANCC) which is a bio-derived nano-reinforcement in the creation of advanced arrowroot starch (AS) biopolymer nanocomposite films. The results demonstrate that ANCC enables tunable piezoelectric and electrical functionality. The incorporation of ANCC into an AS matrix elevates its piezoelectric response, with the longitudinal piezoelectric coefficient (d 33) increases from a negligible 2.5pC/N in pristine AS to 27.3pC/N at an optimal 3% ANCC loading with an approximately tenfold increase was observed corroborated by nanoscale piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) imaging. Concurrently, these nanocomposites exhibit an increase in electrical conductivity and also decreasing resistivity from a highly insulating 19,600 × 10-3ωmm to higher conductive 3,806 × 10-3ωmm with 10% ANCC. It was discovered that the film resistivity dropped drastically as ANCC concentration increased. Highest at 19,600 × 10-3ωmm was achieved in the control sample, whereas the lowest 3,806 × 10-3ωmm was the AS/ANCC10. This shows that ANCC significantly enhances the electrical responsiveness of the starch matrix and indicate potential for application in sustainable, high-performance components of sensing, actuation, and flexible electronics.