Abstract

In recent years, there has been an increasing focus on creating sustainable and biodegradable materials for use in food packaging. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of incorporating Cellulose Nanocrystals (CNC)/ε-Polylysine (ε-PL) additives into a Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) matrix for food packaging. Different filler concentrations and PVA/ε-PL ratios (5:0.3 wt%), (5:0.6 wt.%), and (5:0.9 wt.%) were used to produce the PVA/CNC/ε -PL nanocomposite films through solvent casting. Additionally, PVA and PVA/CNC were prepared for control purposes. The thin film samples were then characterized using a visual inspection, thickness, optical microscopy, FTIR-ATR and XRD. Visual inspection of the nanocomposite films against the logo showed that the increasing weight ratio of CNC/ε-PL did not significantly affect the transparency of the nanocomposites, while those under the polarized optical microscopy exhibited the birefringent patterns observed in the samples with CNC. The FTIR-ATR analysis of the nanocomposite films revealed the functional groups associated with the PVA, CNC, ε-PL, and the mixtures are consistent. The tensile test demonstrated a substantial enhancement in the presence of CNC and CNC/ε-PL. In summary, the PVA/CNC/ε-PL nanocomposites present a promising potential as biodegradable materials for food packaging applications.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.