Abstract
A sodium alginate/chitosan solution was prepared by dissolving sodium alginate, chitosan, and glycerol in an acetic acid solution. This solution was then combined with a sodium carboxymethyl cellulose solution and the mixture was cast onto a glass plate and dried at a constant temperature of 60 °C. Then, a carboxymethyl cellulose/sodium alginate/chitosan composite film was obtained by immersing the film in a solution of a cross-linking agent, CaCl2, and air-drying the resulting material. First, the most advantageous contents of the three precursors in the casting solution were determined by a completely random design test method. Thereafter, a comprehensive orthogonal experimental design was applied to select the optimal mass ratio of the three precursors. The composite film obtained with sodium alginate, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, and chitosan contents of 1.5%, 0.5%, and 1.5%, respectively, in the casting solution displayed excellent tensile strength, water vapor transmission rate, and elongation after fracture. Moreover, the presence of chitosan successfully inhibited the growth and reproduction of microorganisms. The composite film exhibited antibacterial rates of 95.7% ± 5.4% and 93.4% ± 4.7% against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, respectively. Therefore, the composite film is promising for antibacterial food packaging applications.
Highlights
With continuously intensifying environmental pollution and a gradual increase in environmental awareness, the development of novel green materials to reduce the use of plastics has become popular.The use of composite films prepared from natural materials is safe and environmentally friendly, and enables full utilization of the properties of the raw materials by compensating for any shortcomings of the individual components and increasing their value for practical applications.The use of composite films for food packaging applications helps reduce the adverse effects of using plastic bags, such as fossil fuel consumption and soil and water pollution [1,2]
The composite film obtained with sodium alginate, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, and chitosan contents of 1.5%, 0.5%, and 1.5%, respectively, in the casting solution displayed excellent tensile strength, water vapor transmission rate, and elongation after fracture
The results revealed that the added essential oils enhanced the moisture permeability and concurrently preserved the antibacterial properties of the CS/carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) film, which is important for food preservation
Summary
With continuously intensifying environmental pollution and a gradual increase in environmental awareness, the development of novel green materials to reduce the use of plastics has become popular. Kawasaki et al [15] prepared a CS/CMC nanofiber composite film, and demonstrated that the addition of CS effectively inhibited the growth and adhesion of bacteria, showing a vast potential for biomedical material applications. The results revealed that the added essential oils enhanced the moisture permeability and concurrently preserved the antibacterial properties of the CS/CMC film, which is important for food preservation. The good moisture absorption and permeability, ductility, and film-forming ability of SA [19], the high strength of CMC, and the antibacterial properties of CS were combined to prepare an antibacterial. The results of a completely randomized design test were combined for an orthogonal experimental design to investigate the optimal contents and proportions of CMC, SA, and CS to achieve optimal mechanical properties, moisture absorption, and other characteristics of the composite film. The results of the orthogonal experimental design were combined with those of the antibacterial property test to obtain a film that can be used for food packaging applications
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