From traditional paper to nanocomposite films: Analysis of global research into cellulose for food packaging

Abstract Herein, we described novel biogenic preparation of the CuO nanorods and its surface modification with L-alanine amino acid accelerated by microwave irradiation. The effect of surface functionalized CuO nanorods on the polyvinyl alcohol/carboxymethyl cellulose film physico-mechanical properties were investigated through various characterization techniques. The tensile strength was improved from 28.58 ± 0.73 MPa to 43.40 ± 0.93 MPa, UV shielding ability and barrier to the water vapors were highly enhanced when PVA/CMC matrices filled with 8 wt% of CuO-L-alanine. In addition, the prepared films exhibited acceptable overall migration limit and readily undergoes soil burial degradation. Nevertheless, CuO-L-alanine incorporated films showed potent antioxidant activity against DPPH radicals and had high antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, and antifungal activity against Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis. Furthermore, the nanocomposite films showed negligible cytotoxic effect on HEK293 and Caco-2 cell lines. In these contexts, the developed nanocomposite films can be implementing as an active food packaging material.

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Filling of Mater-Bi with Nanoclays to Enhance the Biofilm Rigidity

Journal of Functional Biomaterials ◽

10.3390/jfb9040060 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 60 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Giuseppe Cavallaro ◽

Giuseppe Lazzara ◽

Lorenzo Lisuzzo ◽

Stefana Milioto ◽

Filippo Parisi

Keyword(s):

Tensile Properties ◽

Food Packaging ◽

Mechanical Response ◽

Materials Science ◽

Traction Force ◽

Tensile Tests ◽

Mechanical Analysis ◽

Nanocomposite Films ◽

Preliminary Study ◽

Mechanical Performances

We investigated the efficacy of several nanoclays (halloysite, sepiolite and laponite) as nanofillers for Mater-Bi, which is a commercial bioplastic extensively used within food packaging applications. The preparation of Mater-Bi/nanoclay nanocomposite films was easily achieved by means of the solvent casting method from dichloroethane. The prepared bio-nanocomposites were characterized by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) in order to explore the effect of the addition of the nanoclays on the mechanical behavior of the Mater-Bi-based films. Tensile tests found that filling Mater-Bi with halloysite induced the most significant improvement of the mechanical performances under traction force, while DMA measurements under the oscillatory regime showed that the polymer glass transition was not affected by the addition of the nanoclay. The tensile properties of the Mater-Bi/halloysite nanotube (HNT) films were competitive compared to those of traditional petroleum plastics in terms of the elastic modulus and stress at the breaking point. Both the mechanical response to the temperature and the tensile properties make the bio-nanocomposites appropriate for food packaging and smart coating purposes. Here, we report a preliminary study of the development of sustainable hybrid materials that could be employed in numerous industrial and technological applications within materials science and pharmaceutics.

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Preparation of Cellulose Nanofibrils by High-Pressure Homogenizer and Zein Composite Films

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.829.534 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 829 ◽

pp. 534-538 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Alireza Shakeri ◽

Sattar Radmanesh

Keyword(s):

Atomic Force Microscopy ◽

High Pressure ◽

Food Packaging ◽

Cellulose Nanofibrils ◽

Composite Films ◽

Average Diameter ◽

Nanocomposite Films ◽

Force Microscopy ◽

Atomic Force ◽

High Pressure Homogenizer

Cellulose nanofibrils ( NF ) have several advantages such as biodegradability and safety toward human health. Zein is a biodegradable polymer with potential use in food packaging applications. It appears that polymer nanocomposites are one of the most promising applications of zein films. Cellulose NF were prepared from starting material Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) by an application of a high-pressure homogenizer at 20,000 psi and treatment consisting of 15 passes. Methods such as atomic force microscopy were used for confirmation of nanoscale size production of cellulose. The average diameter 45 nm were observed. Zeincellulose NF nanocomposite films were prepared by casting ethanol suspensions of Zein with different amounts of cellulose NF in the 0% to 5%wt. The nanocomposites were characterized by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy ( FTIR ), Atomic force microscopy ( AFM ) and X-ray diffraction ( XRD ) analysis. From the FTIR spectra the various groups present in the Zein blend were monitored. The homogeneity, morphology and crystallinity of the blends were ascertained from the AFM and XRD data, respectively. The thermal resistant of the zein nanocomposite films improved as the nanocellulose content increased. These obtained materials are transparent, flexible and present significantly better physical properties than the corresponding unfilled Zein films.

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Development of Novel Thin Polycaprolactone (PCL)/Clay Nanocomposite Films with Antimicrobial Activity Promoted by the Study of Mechanical, Thermal, and Surface Properties

Polymers ◽

10.3390/polym13183193 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (18) ◽

pp. 3193

Author(s):

Sylva Holešová ◽

Karla Čech Čech Barabaszová ◽

Marianna Hundáková ◽

Michaela Ščuková ◽

Kamila Hrabovská ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Antimicrobial Activity ◽

Surface Properties ◽

Food Packaging ◽

Synergistic Effects ◽

Nanocomposite Films ◽

Mechanical Resistance ◽

X Ray Diffraction ◽

Microbial Strains ◽

And Storage ◽

Structure Properties

Infection with pathogenic microorganisms is of great concern in many areas, especially in healthcare, but also in food packaging and storage, or in water purification systems. Antimicrobial polymer nanocomposites have gained great popularity in these areas. Therefore, this study focused on new approaches to develop thin antimicrobial films based on biodegradable polycaprolactone (PCL) with clay mineral natural vermiculite as a carrier for antimicrobial compounds, where the active organic antimicrobial component is antifungal ciclopirox olamine (CPX). For possible synergistic effects, a sample in combination with the inorganic antimicrobial active ingredient zinc oxide was also prepared. The structures of all the prepared samples were studied by X-ray diffraction, FTIR analysis and, predominantly, by SEM. The very different structure properties of the prepared nanofillers had a fundamental influence on the final structural arrangement of thin PCL nanocomposite films as well as on their mechanical, thermal, and surface properties. As sample PCL/ZnOVER_CPX possessed the best results for antimicrobial activity against examined microbial strains, the synergic effect of CPX and ZnO combination on antimicrobial activity was proved, but on the other hand, its mechanical resistance was the lowest.

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A New Application of Hollow Nanosilica Added to Modified Polypropylene to Prepare Nanocomposite Films

NANO ◽

10.1142/s1793292021501174 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 2150117

Author(s):

Xu Li ◽

Ying-Jun Zhang ◽

Chi-Hui Tsou ◽

Yi-Hua Wen ◽

Chin-San Wu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Packaging ◽

Nanocomposite Films ◽

X Ray Diffraction ◽

Hollow Silica ◽

Barrier Materials ◽

Water Vapor Barrier ◽

Potential Applications ◽

And Storage ◽

Food Packaging Films ◽

Thermal Stability Of

Since the inception of research on hollow silica, the use of hollow nanosilica (HNS) as additives in barrier materials has not been reported. In this study, we evaluated the capacity of HNS as an additive in modified polypropylene (MPP). According to X-ray diffraction (XRD), the crystallinity, tensile strength, and thermal stability of MPP/HNS nanocomposite containing 0.1[Formula: see text]phr HNS approached maximum values. Moreover, the nanocomposite had the best performance in terms of water vapor barrier and oxygen resistance. The reasons for the improvement in barrier performance were discussed. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that HNS at a low content dispersed well in MPP. In conclusion, the synthesized HNS can be used as an additive in barrier materials, and it would have potential applications in the fields of food packaging films and storage containers or materials.

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Release of Graphene and Carbon Nanotubes from Biodegradable Poly(Lactic Acid) Films during Degradation and Combustion: Risk Associated with the End-of-Life of Nanocomposite Food Packaging Materials

Materials ◽

10.3390/ma11122346 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 11 (12) ◽

pp. 2346 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Stanislav Kotsilkov ◽

Evgeni Ivanov ◽

Nikolay Vitanov

Keyword(s):

Risk Assessment ◽

Carbon Nanotubes ◽

Lactic Acid ◽

Food Packaging ◽

Safety Concern ◽

Barrier Properties ◽

Nanocomposite Films ◽

Poly Lactic Acid ◽

Qualitative Risk Assessment ◽

The Matrix

Nanoparticles of graphene and carbon nanotubes are attractive materials for the improvement of mechanical and barrier properties and for the functionality of biodegradable polymers for packaging applications. However, the increase of the manufacture and consumption increases the probability of exposure of humans and the environment to such nanomaterials; this brings up questions about the risks of nanomaterials, since they can be toxic. For a risk assessment, it is crucial to know whether airborne nanoparticles of graphene and carbon nanotubes can be released from nanocomposites into the environment at their end-life, or whether they remain embedded in the matrix. In this work, the release of graphene and carbon nanotubes from the poly(lactic) acid nanocomposite films were studied for the scenarios of: (i) biodegradation of the matrix polymer at the disposal of wastes; and (ii) combustion and fire of nanocomposite wastes. Thermogravimetric analysis in air atmosphere, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to verify the release of nanoparticles from nanocomposite films. The three factors model was applied for the quantitative and qualitative risk assessment of the release of graphene and carbon nanotubes from nanocomposite wastes for these scenarios. Safety concern is discussed in respect to the existing regulations for nanowaste stream.

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Novel Nanocomposite PLA Films with Lignin/Zinc Oxide Hybrids: Design, Characterization, Interaction with Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Nanomaterials ◽

10.3390/nano10112176 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 2176

Author(s):

Francesca Luzi ◽

Ilaria Tortorella ◽

Alessandro Di Michele ◽

Franco Dominici ◽

Chiara Argentati ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Mesenchymal Stem Cells ◽

Stem Cell ◽

Food Packaging ◽

Biomedical Application ◽

Cell Types ◽

Nanocomposite Films ◽

Diameter Distribution ◽

Filamin A ◽

Stress And Deformation

Herein we present the production of novel nanocomposite films consisting of polylactic acid (PLA) polymer and the inclusion of nanoparticles of lignin (LNP), ZnO and hybrid ZnO@LNP (ZnO, 3.5% wt, ICP), characterized by similar regular shapes and different diameter distribution (30–70 nm and 100–150 nm, respectively). The obtained set of binary, ternary and quaternary systems were similar in surface wettability and morphology but different in the tensile performance: while the presence of LNP and ZnO in PLA caused a reduction of elastic modulus, stress and deformation at break, the inclusion of ZnO@LNP increased the stiffness and tensile strength (σb = 65.9 MPa and EYoung = 3030 MPa) with respect to neat PLA (σb = 37.4 MPa and EYoung = 2280 MPa). Neat and nanocomposite PLA-derived films were suitable for adult human bone marrow-mesenchymal stem cells and adipose stem cell cultures, as showed by their viability and behavior comparable to control conditions. Both stem cell types adhered to the films’ surface by vinculin focal adhesion spots and responded to the films’ mechanical properties by orchestrating the F-actin–filamin A interaction. Collectively, our results support the biomedical application of neat- and nanocomposite-PLA films and, based on the absence of toxicity in seeded stem cells, provide a proof of principle of their safety for food packaging purposes.

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