Antimicrobial and biodegradable food packaging applications of polycaprolactone/organo nanoclay/chitosan polymeric composite films

Abstract

Biodegradable and antimicrobial polymeric food packaging materials are very important because of environmental problems, for quality, and the shelf life of the product. The aim of this paper is to produce antimicrobial and biodegradable food packaging films with polycaprolactone (PCL). Using the amount of PCL (w/w) as the basis and to control the degradation time and to give antimicrobial properties, 0.4 wt% of organo nano clay (C) and 25, 50, and 75 wt% chitosan (K), and the use of glycerol monooleate (GMO) or oleic acid (OA) as a plastifier (5, 10, 20, and 30 wt%) are added and 12 polymeric composite films were prepared. The samples were coded as PCL (P), organo nanoclay (C), oleic acid (O), and glycerol monooleate (G). For example, P_C0.4_G5 refers to the PCL composite film containing 0.4 wt% clay and 5 wt% glycerol monooleate (G). The disc diffusion procedure with Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus cereus, and Candida albicans test microorganisms were used to evaluate the antimicrobial properties of the films. PCL_C0.4_O5, PCL_C0.4_G5, PCL_C0.4_G10_K25, PCL_C0.4_O10_K25, and PCL_C0.4_O20_K50 and neat chitosan films have antimicrobial properties. A small amount of organo nano clay, 0.4 wt%, has an antimicrobial effect on C. albicans. The PCL_C0.4_G10_K25 composite film has an antimicrobial effect on E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and C. albicans. Mechanical tests were performed, and it was observed that the mechanical properties of PCL composite films decrease with the addition of chitosan. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 24:376–387, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers