Composites For Packaging Applications Research Articles

Recyclability of Paper‐Based Composites for Packaging Applications – The Role of Evaluation Methods

AbstractComposites are pivotal in Europe's evolving packaging sector, which is undergoing changes due to circular and bioeconomy initiatives, which prioritize eco‐friendly packaging. Despite paper's high recycling rates, dynamic markets challenge recycling and circularity. Innovative paper‐based composites demand flexible recyclability assessments, which impacts product development. Recyclability methods are evolving as they struggle to match the dynamic changes occurring in the packaging sector. This article outlines paper recycling and compares global lab recyclability evaluation methods.

Novel Coir/Chitosan Composites for Packaging Applications

Composites are a popular choice in the current industrial scenario for a number of reasons and their extensive use poses serious environmental issues. This prompts us to explore the possibilities of completely natural composites that can strike a balance between performance and ease of disposal. In this regard, a novel “Green” composite material constituting Chitosan as a natural matrix material in conjunction with other natural reinforcements (Coir) is explored. Preliminary experimentation on composite fabrication was carried out to obtain laminated coupons. Physical characteristics such as density and finish quality were analyzed and used to optimise process parameters. Test coupons were prepared and evaluated for tensile properties. Further various food packages were produced and tested for their feasibility. This article presents an early investigation into the viability and effectiveness of chitosan as a natural matrix for the production of entirely natural composites and their appropriateness in packaging applications.

Material and Environmental Properties of Natural Polymers and Their Composites for Packaging Applications-A Review.

The current trend of using plastic material in the manufacturing of packaging products raises serious environmental concerns due to waste disposal on land and in oceans and other environmental pollution. Natural polymers such as cellulose, starch, chitosan, and protein extracted from renewable resources are extensively explored as alternatives to plastics due to their biodegradability, biocompatibility, nontoxic properties, and abundant availability. The tensile and water vapor barrier properties and the environmental impacts of natural polymers played key roles in determining the eligibility of these materials for packaging applications. The brittle behavior and hydrophilic nature of natural polymers reduced the tensile and water vapor barrier properties. However, the addition of plasticizer, crosslinker, and reinforcement agents substantially improved the mechanical and water vapor resistance properties. The dispersion abilities and strong interfacial adhesion of nanocellulose with natural polymers improved the tensile strength and water vapor barrier properties of natural polymer-based packaging films. The maximum tensile stress of these composite films was about 38 to 200% more than that of films without reinforcement. The water vapor barrier properties of composite films also reduced up to 60% with nanocellulose reinforcement. The strong hydrogen bonding between natural polymer and nanocellulose reduced the polymer chain movement and decreased the percent elongation at break up to 100%. This review aims to present an overview of the mechanical and water vapor barrier properties of natural polymers and their composites along with the life cycle environmental impacts to elucidate their potential for packaging applications.

Effects of Alkali Treatment on Mechanical Properties of Chicken Feather Fiber/Chitosan Composites for Packaging Applications

Effects of Alkali Treatment on Mechanical Properties of Chicken Feather Fiber/Chitosan Composites for Packaging Applications

Rice waste–based polymer composites for packaging applications: A review

Rice wastes are abundant, low-cost, cellulosic-based materials. The potential of using rice waste such as husk, straw, and bran in bio-composite production is a crucial target of the composite industry. Chemical composition is the main factor that offers diverse possible applications of rice wastes in bio-composite-based materials. Eco-friendly products of bio-composite polymers can be produced by reinforcing and filling polymer matrices with high cellulosic content materials such as rice waste. From manufacturing point of view, rice wastes can be used to reduce the production cost of polymer-based products and meet the requirements for green packaging materials.

Quaternary ammonium silane-reinforced agar/polyacrylamide composites for packaging applications

Agar/polyacrylamide/quaternary ammonium silane-based (A/P/QAS-based) composite films were developed for food and biomedical packaging applications. The structural, optical, and surface morphological properties of the A/P and A/P/QAS composites were characterized by various characterization techniques in terms of thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry analyses, mechanical and rheological properties. Results showed that the 5% gravimetric loss (57.8–139.1 °C), glass transition temperature (179–189.9 °C) and tensile strength (35.2–47.8 MPa) of the prepared composites increased with increasing polyacrylamide content. The contact angle and water barrier properties of the composites were considerably improved by the addition of QAS. To compare WVP values of the A/P/QAS composite with neat AP composite films it reduced nearly 46% (2.45 to 1.32 × 10−9 g/m2 Pas). The A/P/QAS composites showed excellent antimicrobial properties against five different organisms. The Staphylococcus aureus exhibited highest 25 mm for gel and 18.1 mm for film of A/P/QAS composites. All the composites exhibited shear-thinning behavior, and their viscosity increased with increasing polyacrylamide content. The storage moduli of the prepared hydrogel composites were in the range of 5000–10,600 Pa at 1 rad/s and increased continuously over the entire frequency range. The dynamic rheological properties of A/P and A/P/QAS composites indicated that the prepared composites had good mechanical strength. Biopolymer based A/P and A/P/QAS composite films are suitable for green composite packaging applications.

Nanostructured gold dispersed polyethylmethaacrylate/dextran hybrid composites for packaging applications

ABSTRACTHerein, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)/dextran(D) hybrid composites are prepared by reinforcement of various concentrations of in situ reduced gold nanoparticles (Au NPs). As-synthesised PMMA/D-Au nanocomposites are characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction(XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy(FESEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy(HRTEM) and atomic force microscopy(AFM). It is found that, the average size of Au NPs is 30 nm. The size distributions of Au NPs are studied from dynamics light scattering studies (DLS). The incorporation of Au NPs enhances the oxygen barrier, thermal, and antimicrobial properties of the PMMA/D matrix, by which, the hybrid composites are suitable for packaging applications.

New Polylactic Acid Composites for Packaging Applications: Mechanical Properties, Thermal Behavior, and Antimicrobial Activity

The interest in antimicrobial packaging materials based on polylactic acid (PLA) polymers has increased due to the need to improve food safety and environment quality and also to find alternatives to synthetic polymers made from petrochemicals. PLA films by addition of different fillers (grape wastes and celery fibers) were obtained. The mechanical, thermal, surface, and antimicrobial properties of the films were evaluated. The incorporation of inexpensive fillers into the PLA matrix could reduce costs and the studied formulations offer approaches to realize composites with high performances and antimicrobial response, suitable for film food-active packaging materials, especially by use of grape wastes.

Ultra-Low Dielectric Permitfivity Ceramics and Composites for Packaging Applications

AbstractTo accomplish the interconnect systems which will be required in the next generation of very high speed Ga:As digital ICs, it will be necessary to use strip line techniques for signal traces which must be deposited over very low permittivity dielectric substration. Materials with relative dielectric permittivities k 〈 3.0 and very low loss tangent up to microwave frequencies will be required. For ceramic systems such values are impossible to achieve in single phase monoliths, and composite approaches are required. Techniques for processing ceramic insulators which permit the introduction of controlled pore structures are discussed. The introduction of pores degrades some other desirable properties of the ceramic such as mechanical strength and thermal conductivity so that control of both scale and location of pores is desirable.Materials investigated include sol-gel processed silica films and monoliths, reactively sputtered silica, etched glass compositions and Macro-Defect-Free (MDF) cements.