Fagbemi, Olajumoke DGbadeyan, OJAndrew, Jerome ESithole, B2026-02-102026-02-102025-111687-94301687-9422https://doi.org/10.1155/ijps/6637766Digital Object Identifier (DOI)http://hdl.handle.net/10204/14666This study investigates the influence of incorporating freeze-dried cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) on the morphological and thermal properties of polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) biofilm. The CNC-reinforced PVOH films were developed using solvent casting techniques. The thermal stability and material degradation, functional groups, crystallinity, textural characteristics, and microstructure properties of PVOH reinforced with different concentrations of CNC (0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, and 1 wt%) were analyzed. An increase in thermal stability of bioplastic films corresponded with an increase in CNC loading and biofilm, with 1 wt% exhibiting the supreme properties, which was over 68% higher than pure PVOH’s thermal property. The crystalline index (CI) of the CNC and the biofilms ranges between 67.59% and 83.37%, respectively, with the highest CI found in the biofilms that contain 1% CNC. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed homogeneous dispersion of CNC in the PVOH/CNC matrix and indicated good compatibility between the filler and the polymeric blend matrix. The textural analysis of the bioplastic film image shows equal value for all the specified orientations and distances; the results range between 0.0007 and 0.0858, with the highest correlation seen at angle 45° and the lowest at angle 135°, which is related to the biofilm image and homogeneity. The most prominent FTIR peak suggests an interaction between carbon single-bonded oxygen stretching and single-bonded hydroxyl bending in carboxylic acids, the primary functional group of the developed bioplastic film. The result follows x-ray diffraction patterns and DTG data analysis. The improved properties of developed biofilm suggest a material for drug delivery and food packaging.FulltextenFreeze-dried cellulose nanocrystalsCellulose nanocrystalsCNCsArticleN/A