scholarly journals Lignin and Xylan as Interface Engineering Additives for Improved Environmental Durability of Sustainable Cellulose Nanopapers

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (23) ◽  
pp. 12939
Author(s):  
Sergejs Beluns ◽  
Oskars Platnieks ◽  
Sergejs Gaidukovs ◽  
Olesja Starkova ◽  
Alisa Sabalina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Uv Irradiation ◽  
Food Packaging ◽  
Mechanical Performance ◽  
Cellulose Fiber ◽  
Nanofibrillated Cellulose ◽  
Premature Aging ◽  
Interface Engineering ◽  
Particle Structure ◽  
Structural Formation

Cellulose materials and products are frequently affected by environmental factors such as light, temperature, and humidity. Simulated UV irradiation, heat, and moisture exposure were comprehensively used to characterize changes in cellulose nanopaper (NP) tensile properties. For the preparation of NP, high-purity cellulose from old, unused filter paper waste was used. Lignin and xylan were used as sustainable green interface engineering modifiers for NP due to their structural compatibility, low price, nontoxic nature, and abundance as a by-product of biomass processing, as well as their ability to protect cellulose fibers from UV irradiation. Nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) suspension was obtained by microfluidizing cellulose suspension, and NP was produced by casting films from water suspensions. The use of filler from 1 to 30 wt% significantly altered NP properties. All nanopapers were tested for their sensitivity to water humidity, which reduced mechanical properties from 10 to 40% depending on the saturation level. Xylan addition showed a significant increase in the specific elastic modulus and specific strength by 1.4- and 2.8-fold, respectively. Xylan-containing NPs had remarkable resistance to UV irradiation, retaining 50 to 90% of their initial properties. Lignin-modified NPs resulted in a decreased mechanical performance due to the particle structure of the filler and the agglomeration process, but it was compensated by good property retention and enhanced elongation. The UV oxidation process of the NP interface was studied with UV-Vis and FTIR spectroscopy, which showed that the degradation of lignin and xylan preserves a cellulose fiber structure. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed the structural formation of the interface and supplemented understanding of UV aging impact on the surface and penetration depth in the cross-section. The ability to overcome premature aging in environmental factors can significantly benefit the wide adaption of NP in food packaging and functional applications.

scholarly journals Nanocomposites Materials of PLA Reinforced with Nanoclays Using a Masterbatch Technology: A Study of the Mechanical Performance and Its Sustainability

Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 2133
Author(s):  
Helena Oliver-Ortega ◽  
Josep Tresserras ◽  
Fernando Julian ◽  
Manel Alcalà ◽  
Alba Bala ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Packaging ◽  
Mechanical Performance ◽  
Polymeric Materials ◽  
Barrier Properties ◽  
Food Tray ◽  
Environmental Concerns ◽  
Poly Lactic Acid ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Surface Modified ◽  
Being Moved

Packaging consumes around 40% of the total plastic production. One of the most important fields with high requirements is food packaging. Food packaging products have been commonly produced with petrol polymers, but due to environmental concerns, the market is being moved to biopolymers. Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) is the most promising biopolymer, as it is bio-based and biodegradable, and it is well established in the market. Nonetheless, its barrier properties need to be enhanced to be competitive with other polymers such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Nanoclays improve the barrier properties of polymeric materials if correct dispersion and exfoliation are obtained. Thus, it marks a milestone to obtain an appropriate dispersion. A predispersed methodology is proposed as a compounding process to improve the dispersion of these composites instead of common melt procedures. Afterwards, the effect of the polarity of the matrix was analyzing using polar and surface modified nanoclays with contents ranging from 2 to 8% w/w. The results showed the suitability of the predispersed and concentrated compound, technically named masterbatch, to obtain intercalated structures and the higher dispersion of polar nanoclays. Finally, the mechanical performance and sustainability of the prepared materials were simulated in a food tray, showing the best assessment of these materials and their lower fingerprint.

scholarly journals Mechanical Performance of Glass-Based Geopolymer Matrix Composites Reinforced with Cellulose Fibers

Materials ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 2395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gianmarco Taveri ◽  
Enrico Bernardo ◽  
Ivo Dlouhy
Keyword(s):  
Fly Ash ◽  
Mechanical Performance ◽  
Fiber Surface ◽  
Cellulose Fiber ◽  
Maximum Effect ◽  
Matrix Composites ◽  
Curing Conditions ◽  
Chevron Notch ◽  
Geopolymer Matrix ◽  
Mechanical Performances

Glass-based geopolymers, incorporating fly ash and borosilicate glass, were processed in conditions of high alkalinity (NaOH 10–13 M). Different formulations (fly ash and borosilicate in mixtures of 70–30 wt% and 30–70 wt%, respectively) and physical conditions (soaking time and relative humidity) were adopted. Flexural strength and fracture toughness were assessed for samples processed in optimized conditions by three-point bending and chevron notch testing, respectively. SEM was used to evaluate the fracture micromechanisms. Results showed that the geopolymerization efficiency is strongly influenced by the SiO2/Al2O3 ratio and the curing conditions, especially the air humidity. The mechanical performances of the geopolymer samples were compared with those of cellulose fiber–geopolymer matrix composites with different fiber contents (1 wt%, 2 wt%, and 3 wt%). The composites exhibited higher strength and fracture resilience, with the maximum effect observed for the fiber content of 2 wt%. A chemical modification of the cellulose fiber surface was also observed.

scholarly journals Utilization of vegetable fibers for production of reinforced cementitious materials

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 145-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Viviane Costa Correia ◽  
Sergio Francisco Santos ◽  
Holmer Savastano Jr ◽  
Vanderley Moacyr John
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Performance ◽  
Stress Transfer ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Nanofibrillated Cellulose ◽  
Cementitious Materials ◽  
Vegetable Fibers ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
As Stress ◽  
Hybrid Reinforcement ◽  
Cellulosic Pulp

Vegetable fibers produced from agroindustrial resources in the macro, micro and nanometric scales have been used as reinforcement in cementitious materials. The cellulosic pulp, besides being used as the reinforcing element, is also the processing fiber that is responsible for the filtration system in the Hatcheck method. On the other hand, the nanofibrillated cellulose has the advantage of having good mechanical performance and high specific surface, which contributes to improve the adhesion between fiber and matrix. In the hybrid reinforcement, with micro and nanofibers, the cellulose performs bonding elements with the matrix and acts as stress transfer bridges in the micro and nano-cracking network with the corresponding strengthening and toughening of the cementitious composite. Some strategies are studied to mitigate the degradation of the vegetable fibers used in cost-effective and non-conventional fiber cement, as well as to reach a sustainable fiber cement production. As a practical example, the accelerated carbonation curing at early age is a developing technology to increase the durability of composite materials: it decreases porosity, promotes a higher density in the interface generating a good fiber–matrix adhesion and a better mechanical behavior. Thus, the vegetable fibers are potentially applicable to produce high mechanical performance and sustainable cementitious materials for use in the Civil Construction.

scholarly journals Non-Negligible Effects of UV Irradiation on Transformation and Environmental Risks of Microplastics in the Water Environment

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Fangyuan Cheng ◽  
Tingting Zhang ◽  
Yue Liu ◽  
Yanan Zhang ◽  
Jiao Qu
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Uv Irradiation ◽  
Water Environment ◽  
Oxidative Degradation ◽  
Environmental Risks ◽  
Important Process ◽  
Environmental Behaviors ◽  
Environmental Media ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Harmful Effects

Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous in environmental media, and their harmful effects on MPs on the ecosystem have attracted more and more attention. Once released into the environment, MPs can trigger oxidative degradation through ultraviolet (UV) to cause photoaging. Photoaging significantly affects the properties of MPs, which leads to changing their environmental behaviors and increasing environmental risks. In this review, the generation of MPs under UV irradiation and the influence of environmental factors on the photoaging of MPs were discussed. Photoaging of MPs is an important process affecting the migration, transformation and interaction of pollutants in water and soil. In order to fully predict the fate and environmental interaction of MPs, more researches are needed in the future to explore the photoaging behavior of different types of MPs under natural environmental conditions.

scholarly journals Interference of Biodegradable Plastics in the Polypropylene Recycling Process

Materials ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 1886 ◽  
Author(s):  
María Samper ◽  
David Bertomeu ◽  
Marina Arrieta ◽  
José Ferri ◽  
Juan López-Martínez
Keyword(s):  
Biodegradable Polymers ◽  
Food Packaging ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Mechanical Performance ◽  
Crop Protection ◽  
Melt Flow Index ◽  
Thermoplastic Starch ◽  
Flow Index ◽  
Moulding Process ◽  
Injection Moulding Process

Recycling polymers is common due to the need to reduce the environmental impact of these materials. Polypropylene (PP) is one of the polymers called ‘commodities polymers’ and it is commonly used in a wide variety of short-term applications such as food packaging and agricultural products. That is why a large amount of PP residues that can be recycled are generated every year. However, the current increasing introduction of biodegradable polymers in the food packaging industry can negatively affect the properties of recycled PP if those kinds of plastics are disposed with traditional plastics. For this reason, the influence that generates small amounts of biodegradable polymers such as polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and thermoplastic starch (TPS) in the recycled PP were analyzed in this work. Thus, recycled PP was blended with biodegradables polymers by melt extrusion followed by injection moulding process to simulate the industrial conditions. Then, the obtained materials were evaluated by studding the changes on the thermal and mechanical performance. The results revealed that the vicat softening temperature is negatively affected by the presence of biodegradable polymers in recycled PP. Meanwhile, the melt flow index was negatively affected for PLA and PHB added blends. The mechanical properties were affected when more than 5 wt.% of biodegradable polymers were present. Moreover, structural changes were detected when biodegradable polymers were added to the recycled PP by means of FTIR, because of the characteristic bands of the carbonyl group (between the band 1700–1800 cm−1) appeared due to the presence of PLA, PHB or TPS. Thus, low amounts (lower than 5 wt.%) of biodegradable polymers can be introduced in the recycled PP process without affecting the overall performance of the final material intended for several applications, such as food packaging, agricultural films for farming and crop protection.

scholarly journals Nanofibrillated cellulose composites and wood derived scaffolds for functional materials

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (7) ◽  
pp. 2981-2992 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tobias Keplinger ◽  
Xiaoqing Wang ◽  
Ingo Burgert
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metal ◽  
Magnetic Properties ◽  
Mechanical Performance ◽  
Functional Materials ◽  
Nanofibrillated Cellulose ◽  
Water Separation ◽  
Heavy Metal Remediation ◽  
Cellulose Composites ◽  
Oil Water Separation ◽  
Oil Water

We compare functional NFC composites and wood derived scaffolds regarding mechanical performance, electric and magnetic properties as well as oil/water separation and heavy metal remediation.

scholarly journals Hybrid Biocomposites Based on Poly(Lactic Acid) and Silica Aerogel for Food Packaging Applications

Materials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (21) ◽  
pp. 4910 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandro Aragón-Gutierrez ◽  
Marina P. Arrieta ◽  
Mar López-González ◽  
Marta Fernández-García ◽  
Daniel López
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Stability ◽  
Lactic Acid ◽  
Silica Aerogel ◽  
Food Packaging ◽  
Mechanical Performance ◽  
Composite Films ◽  
Barrier Properties ◽  
Extrusion Process ◽  
Poly Lactic Acid ◽  
Barrier Performance

Bionanocomposites based on poly (lactic acid) (PLA) and silica aerogel (SiA) were developed by means of melt extrusion process. PLA-SiA composite films were plasticized with 15 wt.% of acetyl (tributyl citrate) (ATBC) to facilitate the PLA processability as well as to attain flexible polymeric formulations for films for food packaging purposes. Meanwhile, SiA was added in four different proportions (0.5, 1, 3 and 5 wt.%) to evaluate the ability of SiA to improve the thermal, mechanical, and barrier performance of the bionanocomposites. The mechanical performance, thermal stability as well as the barrier properties against different gases (carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and oxygen) of the bionanocomposites were evaluated. It was observed that the addition of 3 wt.% of SiA to the plasticized PLA-ATBC matrix showed simultaneously an improvement on the thermal stability as well as the mechanical and barrier performance of films. Finally, PLA-SiA film formulations were disintegrated in compost at the lab-scale level. The combination of ATBC and SiA sped up the disintegration of PLA matrix. Thus, the bionanocomposites produced here show great potential as sustainable polymeric formulations with interest in the food packaging sector.

scholarly journals Development of Active Barrier Multilayer Films Based on Electrospun Antimicrobial Hot-Tack Food Waste Derived Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) and Cellulose Nanocrystal Interlayers

Nanomaterials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 2356
Author(s):  
Kelly Figueroa-Lopez ◽  
Sergio Torres-Giner ◽  
Inmaculada Angulo ◽  
Maria Pardo-Figuerez ◽  
Jose Escuin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Packaging ◽  
Mechanical Performance ◽  
Antioxidant Activities ◽  
Antimicrobial Properties ◽  
Multilayer Films ◽  
Electrospinning Process ◽  
Final Thickness ◽  
Oregano Essential Oil ◽  
Active Barrier ◽  
Contact Transparency

Active multilayer films based on polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) with and without high barrier coatings of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were herein successfully developed. To this end, an electrospun antimicrobial hot-tack layer made of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) derived from cheese whey, a by-product from the dairy industry, was deposited on a previously manufactured blown film of commercial food contact PHA-based resin. A hybrid combination of oregano essential oil (OEO) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) were incorporated during the electrospinning process into the PHBV nanofibers at 2.5 and 2.25 wt%, respectively, in order to provide antimicrobial properties. A barrier CNC coating was also applied by casting from an aqueous solution of nanocellulose at 2 wt% using a rod at 1m/min. The whole multilayer structure was thereafter assembled in a pilot roll-to-roll laminating system, where the blown PHA-based film was located as the outer layers while the electrospun antimicrobial hot-tack PHBV layer and the barrier CNC coating were placed as interlayers. The resultant multilayer films, having a final thickness in the 130–150 µm range, were characterized to ascertain their potential in biodegradable food packaging. The multilayers showed contact transparency, interlayer adhesion, improved barrier to water and limonene vapors, and intermediate mechanical performance. Moreover, the films presented high antimicrobial and antioxidant activities in both open and closed systems for up to 15 days. Finally, the food safety of the multilayers was assessed by migration and cytotoxicity tests, demonstrating that the films are safe to use in both alcoholic and acid food simulants and they are also not cytotoxic for Caco-2 cells.

scholarly journals Evaluation of chemical and physical properties of biodegradable gum Arabic/PVA/Ag nanofibrous membranes as a potential wrapping material

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 155892502094645
Author(s):  
Mayza Ibrahim ◽  
Michal Krejčík ◽  
Karel Havlíček ◽  
Stanislav Petrík ◽  
Mohamed Eldessouki
Keyword(s):  
Polyvinyl Alcohol ◽  
Food Packaging ◽  
Mechanical Performance ◽  
Micrococcus Luteus ◽  
Gum Arabic ◽  
Electrospun Nanofibers ◽  
Longitudinal Direction ◽  
Inhibition Zone ◽  
Electrospinning Technique ◽  
Direction Parallel

There is a growing public interest in utilizing biomass and biomaterials to obtain products with high sustainability and less harm to the environment. This study reports on using electrospinning technique to produce nanofiber membranes based on homogeneous polymeric blends of gum Arabic, polyvinyl alcohol, and silver nanoparticles. The produced interconnected membranes were cross-linked via heat and plasma treatments, and the membranes were characterized for their chemical and physical characteristics. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy shows a cross-linking of gum Arabic and polyvinyl alcohol through esterification during the heat treatment, and through graft polymerization with methyl groups after methane plasma treatment. The mechanical performance of the membranes showed an increase in the modulus of elasticity in the longitudinal direction (parallel to electrospun nanofibers) from 85 ± 4 MPa to 148 ± 5 MPa compared with the transverse direction. Also, well-dispersed nanoparticles in the spinning solution tend to increase the elasticity from 41 ± 3 MPa to 148 ± 5 MPa, while the agglomeration of these nanoparticles decreases the mechanical properties of the nanofibers. Results of the biodegradation tests confirmed the significant biodegradable nature of the produced nanofibers, where 99.09% of the material was degraded within 28 days. Moreover, samples showed significant bactericidal activity against Micrococcus luteus with significantly less-observed bacteria in the measured plate, while the inhibition zone for Escherichia coli was 1 cm. The produced biodegradable electrospun membranes have multiple potential applications in many fields; especially for medical, antibacterial, and food packaging. This work reports the results for moisture and oxygen transfer of the membranes as a proposed application in food wrapping.

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