Abstract
Graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) were synthetized from graphite powder and, thereafter, embedded in poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) (EVOH) fibers by electrospinning in the 0.1–2 wt.-% range. The morphological, chemical, and thermal characterization performed on the electrospun nanocomposite fibers mats revealed that the GNPs were efficiently dispersed and rolled along the EVOH fibrilar matrix up to contents of 0.5 wt.-%. Additionally, the dielectric behavior of the nanocomposite fibers was evaluated as a function of the frequency range and GNPs content. The obtained results indicated that their dielectric constant rapidly decreased with the frequency increase and only increased at low GNPs loadings while the nanocomposite fiber mats became electrically conductive, with the maximum at 0.5 wt.-% GNPs content. Finally, the electrospun mats were subjected to a thermal post-treatment and dark films with a high contact transparency were obtained, suggesting that the nanocomposites can be used either in a nonwoven fibers form or in a continuous film form. This study demonstrates the potential of electrospinning as a promising technology to produce GNPs-containing materials with high electrical conductivity that can be of potential interest in intelligent packaging applications as “smart” labels or tags.
Highlights
In the field of intelligent packaging, the use of electrically conductive polymer-based materials opens up new opportunities to create “smart” labels or tags
This study demonstrates the potential of electrospinning as a promising technology to produce Graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs)-containing materials with high electrical conductivity that can be of potential interest in intelligent packaging applications as “smart” labels or tags
To confirm the detailed microstructure of the processed-graphite particles, the crystal phases of graphite, graphite oxide (GO), and GNPs were analyzed by Wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS)
Summary
In the field of intelligent packaging, the use of electrically conductive polymer-based materials opens up new opportunities to create “smart” labels or tags. EVOH is a suitable candidate to be efficiently employed for the inclusion of smart tags in the packaging structure and/or for the creation of patterns acting like a bar code This would provide a unique response to electrical stimuli that give relevant information about the physicochemical properties of the foodstuff packaged and/or for traceability and improved supply chain management (SCM) purposes. GNPs have been widely considered as a perfect filler to develop novel carbon-based reinforced polymer nanocomposites with enhanced thermal, electrical, and mechanical properties [6,7] In this sense, the use of GNPs-containing plastics is very advantageous for several applications in energy and electronics, but their use can be originally focused on intelligent packaging strategies in combination to EVOH since it is a food contact polymer with excellent optical properties and polarity. The electrospun mats were subjected to a thermal post-treatment in order to generate films that could be applied for creating smart labels or tags with high electrical rate capabilities in the field of intelligent food packaging
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