Areca nut fiber nano crystals, clay nano particles and PVA blended bionanocomposite material for active packaging of food

Abstract

Nowadays, there has been a marked increase in the use of biopolymer-based packaging, which improves or extends the shelf life of the food materials. This research aims to obtain a better understanding of the use of natural polymer (cellulose) as well as clay nanoparticles (CNP) for fabrication of eco-friendly and economical unique food packaging material. The fiber nanocrystals (FNC) were obtained from areca nut (Areca catechu) waste using both chemical and physical treatments. Different analytical techniques were used to confirm the size, crystallinity, and purity of the FNC. Furthermore, the scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to confirm the morphology, size distribution and topography of FNC. The nanobiocomposite material was developed by the combination of FNC, clay nanoparticles, polyvinyl alcohol, and fennel seed oil. The nanobiocomposite was further analyzed for tensile strength/elongation property, thermal degradation property, optical property, antioxidant, antimicrobial property, and contact angle measurement. The FNC-clay nanoparticle-fennel seed oil incorporated PVA based material showed increased mechanical property, improved optical and thermal property than normal PVA film. The results suggest that the fabricated nanobiocomposite material having enhanced antibacterial and antioxidant properties. The hydrophobic nature of the PVA incorporated nanobiocomposite was improved by the addition of the clay nanoparticles and the unique combination of the material can revolutionize the food packaging industry.