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

Dieter Rahmadiawan (Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan)
Tio Baskara (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Andalas, Indonesia)
Hairul Abral (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Andalas, Indonesia)
Eni Sugiarti (Research Center for Advanced Materials, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Indonesia)
Ahmad Novi Muslimin (Research Center for Advanced Materials, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Indonesia)
Shih-Chen Shi (Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan)
Thiago F. Santos (Postgraduate Program in Chemical Engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil)
Imtiaz Ali Laghari (Department of Electrical Engineering, The University of Larkano, Pakistan)

Teknomekanik
Vol. 9 No. 2 (2026): Regular Issue

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.