Sustainable Nanocomposites Research Articles

Harnessing Aristolochia bracteolate bud extract for green synthesis and characterization of silver nanocomposite films: assessing their potent antimicrobial proficiency

Nanoscience and technology play an essential role in different various scientific fields domains as since it offers unique properties and diverse industrial applications. This study introduces an efficient method to synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Aristolochia bracteolate bud extract. The synthesized AgNPs are embedded within Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) to prepare a sustainable nanocomposite film (Ag-PMMA NC). Characterization techniques reveal the distinct properties of AgNPs and Ag-PMMA NC. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) shows enhanced heat stability of the polymer with Ag nano-filler. UV-vis spectroscopy detects a peak for AgNPs at 440 nm, with an average size of 180.4 nm and a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.389, indicating uniform size. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) of Ag-PMMA exhibits characteristic peaks between 300-700 cm-−1, confirming Ag-PMMA interactions. Both green-synthesized AgNPs and the resulting Ag-PMMA NC film demonstrate potent antibacterial activity against Gram-positive Bacillus cereus (∼15 mm) and Gram-negative Escherichia coli (∼26 mm), showing promise for water purification and other applications.

Sustainable nanocomposite of PAC/Fe3O4-coated geotextile using plasma treatment technique for phenol adsorption application

This study aims to present a novel and enhanced geotextile structure that is simultaneously synthesized and coated employing powder-activated carbon (PAC) and Fe3O4 nanomaterial. Subsequently, the capability of GTX/PAC + Fe3O4 nanocomposite to adsorb phenol pollutants from soil and aqueous environments is investigated in the present study. Although geotextile has been widely used in soil for filtration and barrier applications, no adsorption capacity was reported in the literature. Accordingly, the present study intends to modify the geotextile's surface through plasma technique to improve its hydrophilic properties and effectively bond with the nanocoating composite. To check the performance of the proposed nanocoated-geotextile, various characterization tests are considered, including contact angle, FTIR-ATR, SEM-EDX, and BET. Regarding batch tests, different critical parameters are studied, such as solution pH, the dose of adsorbent, contact time, temperature, and initial concentration on the phenol capacity adsorption. Based on the experimental findings, the proposed nanocoating composite on the geotextile significantly improved the phenol adsorption capacity. Also, various vital parameters were optimized through batch tests with a maximum phenol adsorption capacity of 17.32 mg/g at pH 6 solution, an adsorbent dose of 2.34 gr, a contact time of 75 min, and a concentration of 100 mg/L. Among the isotherm models assessed, the Langmuir model (R2 = 0.99) best fits the experimental results. The kinetics analysis showed that the pseudo-second-order model agreed with the experimental results (R2 = 0.99). The thermodynamic results indicated that the adsorption process in the temperature range of 25–45 °C was spontaneous and exothermic. The GTX/PAC + Fe3O4 nanocomposite showed high recoverability with five consecutive repetitions, maintaining 97.5% of its initial phenol adsorption capacity.

Nanocomposites as sustainable smart materials: A review

Sustainable nano-composites refer to the development of composite materials that incorporate nano-particles or nanofibres in a matrix of sustainable polymers. These materials offer many benefits, including enhanced mechanical and thermal properties, improved resistance to degradation, and reduced environmental impact. Sustainable nano-composites have emerged as a promising class of materials and have received noteworthy consideration in recent years because of having unique characteristics and latent for numerous industrial applications. Nano-composites are composite materials that comprise a polymer matrix reinforced with nano-sized particles. Properties of sustainable nano-composites are characterized by their enhanced mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties compared to traditional composite materials. Nano-composites have been studied for several decades, and their applications are varied, including biomedical implants, energy storage devices, and high-performance structural materials. Industrial applications of sustainable nano-composites are expanding rapidly due to their improved properties and environmental benefits. Sustainable nano-composites have a wide range of industrial applications, including automotive, aerospace, electronics, packaging, and biomedical industries. Sustainable nano-composites represent a promising area of research and development for creating high-performance materials that are both environmentally friendly and economically feasible. Sustainable nano-composites are also a promising solution to address the environmental concerns associated with conventional nano-composites. The use of these materials is expected to increase in the future as sustainability becomes an increasingly important consideration in material design and manufacturing. This article provides an overview on the sustainable nano-composites.

Experimental investigations on the influence of natural reinforcements on tribological performance of sustainable nanocomposites: A comparative study with polymer technology

Sustainable polymer-based nanocomposites are gaining consideration as a potential alternative to conventional composites in tribological applications. The research aimed to study the influence of reinforcements on the tribological response of sustainable polymer-based nanocomposites. In this work, nine different nanocomposites were developed by the recycling of waste plastics of three different types with incorporation of coconut fibers, jute fibers and nano-sized particles of rice husk ash. Three-body abrasive wear behaviour at five different conditions of loads and speeds were investigated. The wear of the composites increases invariably with the applied loads and speeds, and were in the ranges of 0.0154–0.2212 (cm3) and 0.02207–0.4398 (cm3), respectively. The comparative analysis of the three-body abrasive wear at the conditions of speeds has suggested the reinforcement of coconut fibers with low-density polyethylene for optimum tribological performance, whereas reinforcement of rice husk ash showed an excellent wear resistance for high-density polyethylene and polypropylene composites. The observations for three-body abrasive wear under the considered loads has suggested the incorporation of coconut fibers with low-density polyethene and polypropylene composites, whereas rice husk ash is a suitable reinforcement with high-density polyethene for optimum tribological performance. The rolling behaviour of the nanoparticles has considerably enabled the tribological performance of nanocomposites at extreme conditions of loads and speeds. The research indicated a great potential for natural reinforcement in nanocomposites and will promote the expansion of sustainable polymer-based nanocomposites for tribological applications.

Insight into the Role of Conductive Polypyrrole Coated on Rice Husk-Derived Nanosilica-Reduced Graphene Oxide as the Anodes: Electrochemical Improvement in Sustainable Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Polypyrrole (PPy) is a type of conducting polymer that has garnered attention as a potential electrode material for sustainable energy storage devices. This is mostly attributed to its mechanical flexibility, ease of processing, and ecologically friendly nature. Here, a polypyrrole-coated rice husk-derived nanosilica-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite (SiO2-rGO@PPy) as an anode material was developed by a simple composite technique followed by an in situ polymerization process. The architecture of reduced graphene oxide offers a larger electrode/electrolyte interface to promote charge-transfer reactions and provides sufficient space to buffer a large volume expansion of SiO2, maintaining the mechanical integrity of the overall electrode during the lithiation/delithiation process. Moreover, the conducting polymer coating not only improves the capacity of SiO2, but also suppresses the volume expansion and rapid capacity fading caused by serious pulverization. The present anode material shows a remarkable specific reversible capacity of 523 mAh g-1 at 100 mA g-1 current density and exhibits exceptional discharge rate capability. The cycling stability at a current density of 100 mA g-1 shows 81.6% capacity retention and high Coulombic efficiency after 250 charge-discharge cycles. The study also pointed out that this method might be able to be used on a large scale in the lithium-ion battery industry, which could have a big effect on its long-term viability. Creating sustainable nanocomposites is an exciting area of research that could help solve some of the biggest problems with lithium-ion batteries, like how easy they are to make and how big they can be used in industry. This is because they are sustainable and have less of an impact on the environment.

Advances in Sustainable Nanocomposites

Advances in Sustainable Nanocomposites is a newly opened Special Issue of Sustainability, that aims to publish original and review papers on the new scientific development of sustainable nanocomposite materials that are accelerated by zero-carbon policy goals [...]

Rice husk valorization into sustainable Ni@TiO2/biochar nanocomposite for highly selective Pb (II) ions removal from an aqueous media

Herein, we successfully prepared sustainable nanocomposites from agriculture waste (rice husk)-derived biochar precursor, and followed by nickel-doped, base-treated titanium dioxide nanomaterials loading for efficient lead (Pb2+) removal from aqueous media. By varying the loading contents of active materials, the optimized sample (Ni0.01@Na–TiO2/BC) possessed an efficient Pb2+ adsorption capability of 122.3 mg g−1 under the under optimum adsorption parameters, which is attributable to its specific surface area (138.09 m2 g−1) and excess functional sites. Kinetic and Isothermal examination illustrated that Pb2+ adsorption phenomena was well followed through pseudo 2nd order and Langmuir models. In addition, superior Pb2+ ions adsorption selectivity was recorded by optimized sample in a multi-metallic system over other existing ion (such as Cd2+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+). Desorption experiments has been performed by using desorbing agent that demonstrates the good regeneration ability of sample. Hence, these findings provide new insight for the biowaste management by converting them into innovative adsorbents for commercial scale environmental remediation.

Sustainable and scalable development of PVDF-OH Ag/TiOx nanocomposites for simultaneous oil/water separation and pollutant degradation

Freshwater scarcity remains a global challenge, often exacerbated by oil contamination. The current study tackles this issue by cleaning oily wastewater while removing its dissolved organic pollutants with PVDF-OH Ag/TiOx sustainable nanocomposites.

CO2-Based Poly(propylene carbonate) Functionalized for Sustainable Nanocomposites by a Controllable Magnetic Field

To alleviate environmental problems caused by carbon emissions, the modified application of the CO2-based polymer has attracted extensive scientific and technological interest. In this study, a series of sustainable nanocomposites were fabricated by a magnetic field with controllable direction to achieve nanofiller orientation in the CO2-derived poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC) matrix, and magnetic graphene nanosheets (FG) with varying magnetization were synthesized through a simple coprecipitation process using graphene oxide and iron-containing salts. The resultant nanocomposites not only exhibited anisotropic mechanical properties but also presented anisotropic thermal conductivity (TC) and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding properties in different magnetic field directions. The nanocomposites with a parallel orientation showed further significant improvements compared with the vertically oriented nanocomposites in terms of the mechanical properties, in-plane TC, and EMI shielding performances at the same FG loading. This was possibly attributed to the more regular arrangement of the two-dimensional FG nanosheets in the horizontal magnetic field. In addition, these nanocomposites showed a rapid magnetic response when the magnets were in close proximity. This study on PPC/FG nanocomposites with a controllable orientation structure and magnetic response could provide new ideas for the development of applications of CO2-based PPC materials in the functional and intelligent material field.

Enhanced mechanical and thermal properties of graphene nanoplatelets‐reinforced polyamide11/poly(lactic acid) nanocomposites

AbstractThe present paper aims to obtain a sustainable nanocomposite by using bio‐based polyamide 11 and biodegradable poly (lactic acid) blend as matrix and graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) as nanofiller. GNP was incorporated in the PA11/PLA blend matrix in the ratio of 0.5‐1‐3‐5‐10 wt% through the twin‐screw extruder. The crystallinity of PA11 in the blend, which was 12.9%, increased with the inclusion of GNP, and the highest crystallinity value was observed at 20% for the 1GNP sample. The crystallinity of PLA in the blend, which was 2.3%, increased to 4.6% with 5 wt% GNP addition. The inclusion of GNP to PA11/PLA improved the thermal degradation temperatures and increase the char residue. Also, increments were observed for storage modulus, loss modulus, and glass transition temperature of the matrix with the inclusion of GNP. The addition of GNP caused the tensile strength of the matrix to increase first and then decrease at higher amounts due to the agglomerations. 0.5–1 wt% GNP increased tensile strength by 10% and 5%, respectively. Increasing the amount of GNP to 10 wt% led to a sharp decrease in tensile strength by 24%. Overall, GNP is a suitable nanofiller to enhance the thermal and mechanical features of the PA11/PLA blend.

Sodium lignosulfonate-loaded ZnAl-layered double hydroxide decorated graphene oxide nanolayers; toward fabrication of sustainable nanocomposite for smart corrosion prevention

In this study, the NO3− intercalated ZnAl-based layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanostructures decorated graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets were synthesized, loaded with sodium lignosulfonate (SLS), and finally modified with aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APS) to reach a high-performance corrosion inhibitor nanocarriers. The morphology and chemistry of the LDH-rGO nanostructures were evaluated by the FE-SEM, EDX, FT-IR, XPS, XRD, Raman, and TGA techniques. Characterization results of SLS@LDH-rGO nanostructures proved the uniform decoration of GO nanosheets with LDH nanolayers and the loading of the SLS inhibitor. The active/barrier corrosion mitigation ability (CMA) of the synthesized nanostructures was studied by EIS and potentiodynamic polarization (PP) tests in both solution (NaCl) and coating (epoxy) phases. Results showed the increment of the total resistance and decrement of the current density of MSSs immersed in the SLS@LDH-rGO extract by 358 and 79%, respectively, compared to the blank solution after 48 h. EIS results proved the bi-functional active-inhibitive/barrier CMA for the SLS@APS-LDH-rGO filled epoxy coatings. The total impedance of the intact SLS@APS-LDH-rGO filled epoxy coating was enhanced by about 9700% after 8 weeks compared to that of the blank coating.

Synthesis, characterization, and investigation of nonlinear property of fly ash-red mud-Ag: A low-cost sustainable nanocomposite

The silver-coated fly ash-red mud nanocomposite (FARM-Ag) is synthesized through the environment-friendly facile chemical method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive x-ray analysis (EDAX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and UV–Visible absorption spectroscopy techniques are used to characterize the nanocomposite. A sensitive single-beam Z-scan technique is used to study its nonlinear properties under continuous-wave (CW) laser excitation as a function of sample concentration and laser power. It is observed that FARM-Ag exhibits negative refractive and positive absorptive nonlinearity due to the self-defocusing and reverse saturable absorption (RSA) effect, respectively. Here, the origin of the nonlinearity is attributed to the thermal lensing effect and the larger magnitude of the nonlinear refractive index (n2), nonlinear absorption coefficient (β), third-order nonlinear susceptibility (|χ(3)|), and thermo-optical coefficient (dn/dT) are obtained as – 2.978 × 10−12 m2W−1, 1.424 × 10−5 mW−1, 3.477 × 10−14 m2V−2, and - 3.903 × 10−5 K−1, respectively. The results suggest that this newly synthesized nanocomposite from industrial waste might have a possible use for nonlinear optical devices.

Sustainable nano-composites polyglutamic acid functionalized Ag/g-C3N4/SiC for the ultrasensitive colorimetric assay, visible light irradiated photocatalysis and antibacterial efficiency

In this project, silver deposited on graphitic carbon nitride-silicon carbide-polyglutamic acid (Ag/g-C 3 N 4 /SiC/PGA) nanomaterials was chemically fabricated. The Ag/g-C 3 N 4 /SiC/PGA nano probe analyzed via UV–vis, TEM, EDS, DLS, and zetasizer analyzer. The prepared nanomaterials was applied for colorimetric detection of sulfide ions as toxic material. The particle size and zeta amount of Ag/g-C 3 N 4 /SiC/PGA was −28.00 mV and 30 nm, respectively. The detection of S 2− ions was conducted by probe with variation in colour with response time of 60 s. The absorbance showed good linearity with S 2− concentrations. The LOD of S 2− ions by Ag/g-C 3 N 4 /SiC/PGA was 0.15 nM. The Ag/g-C 3 N 4 /SiC/PGA catalyst was used to degradation of ampicillin (AMP). The photo-degradation amount of AMP in 50 min was 95.62% under visible light irradiation. The Ag/g-C 3 N 4 /SiC/PGA nanoparticles demonstrated the highest antibacterial efficiencies. • The silver doped on graphitic carbon nitride-silicon carbide-polyglutamic acid was chemically fabricated. • The LOD of S 2− ions by Ag/g-C 3 N 4 /SiC/PGA was 0.15 nM. • The AMP degradation amount of Ag/g-C 3 N 4 /SiC/PGA was 95.62% in 50 min. • The Ag/g-C 3 N 4 /SiC/PGA demonstrated the highest antibacterial efficiencies.

A sustainable nanocomposite, graphene oxide bi-functionalized with chitosan and magnetic nanoparticles for enhanced removal of Sudan dyes

The environmental pollution, particularly water pollution, has gradually caused severe human health issues. Organic dyes are one of the most emerging pollutants in the environment. In the present study, graphene oxide (GO) was functionalized with chitosan (CS) and magnetic nanoparticles (Fe-NPs) and tested to remove Sudan I, II, III, and IV dyes from water. The synthesized GO-CS-Fe was characterized using UV–vis, SEM, TEM, EDX, and FTIR spectroscopy, and confirmed the structural composition of nanocomposite, with the Fe-NPs dimension over the GO-CS surface to be 31–44 nm. The effects of various experimental factors; time,pH, adsorbent amount, dyes concentrations, and temperature were executed using the batch experiment. The experimental data were fitted to pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, intraparticle diffusion, and Elovich kinetic models. The isotherm models parameters of the Langmuir, Freundlich, Redlich–Peterson, Temkin, and Hill isotherms, along with the thermodynamics parameters were also calculated. The data was explained by the Langmuir isotherm model with maximum adsorption capacities for Sudan I, II, III, and IV as 360.6, 353.7, 351.0, and 347.6 mg/g, respectively. The rapid uptake of the dyes fitted the pseudo-second-order kinetic, asserting that the adsorption was diffusion controlled. The process was spontaneous and endothermic in nature. The reusability study of GO-CS-Fe was performed up to five cycles. The nanocomposite can retain its efficacy even after the considered cycles. In conclusion, the GO-CS-Fe nanocomposite has exhibited a high potential for removing Sudan dyes from the aqueous solution due to its high adsorption and regeneration capability.

Electrochemical and photoluminescence response of laser-induced graphene/electrodeposited ZnO composites

The inherent scalability, low production cost and mechanical flexibility of laser-induced graphene (LIG) combined with its high electrical conductivity, hierarchical porosity and large surface area are appealing characteristics for many applications. Still, other materials can be combined with LIG to provide added functionalities and enhanced performance. This work exploits the most adequate electrodeposition parameters to produce LIG/ZnO nanocomposites. Low-temperature pulsed electrodeposition allowed the conformal and controlled deposition of ZnO rods deep inside the LIG pores whilst maintaining its inherent porosity, which constitute fundamental advances regarding other methods for LIG/ZnO composite production. Compared to bare LIG, the composites more than doubled electrode capacitance up to 1.41 mF cm−2 in 1 M KCl, while maintaining long-term cycle stability, low ohmic losses and swift electron transfer. The composites also display a luminescence band peaked at the orange/red spectral region, with the main excitation maxima at ~ 3.33 eV matching the expected for the ZnO bandgap at room temperature. A pronounced sub-bandgap tail of states with an onset absorption near 3.07 eV indicates a high amount of defect states, namely surface-related defects. This work shows that these environmentally sustainable multifunctional nanocomposites are valid alternatives for supercapacitors, electrochemical/optical biosensors and photocatalytic/photoelectrochemical devices.

Barrier, rheological, and antimicrobial properties of sustainable nanocomposites based on gellan gum/polyacrylamide/zinc oxide

AbstractIn this study, we used a solution casting method to prepare gellan gum (G)‐based ternary nanocomposite films containing polyacrylamide (P) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles. All composites were prepared using the chemical cross‐linker N,N‐methylenebisacrylamide. The nanocomposites were characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. Attenuated total reflectance FTIR revealed strong hydrogen bonding interactions among gellan gum, polyacrylamide, and ZnO, which enhanced the physiochemical, thermal, and mechanical properties of the GPZnO nanocomposites. The addition of ZnO nanoparticles increased the glass transition temperature (Tg: 181.8–196.3°C), thermal stability (T5%: 87.8–96.5°C), and char yield (23.9–29.1%) of the GP composite films, as well as their the tensile strength (from 33.5 to 43.8 MPa) and ultraviolet (UV) blocking properties (~99.2% protection against UVB [280–320 nm]). ZnO significantly influenced the rheological properties of the GP composite. The prepared GP and GPZnO nanocomposites exhibited shear thinning behavior and their viscosities decreased when there is an increase in shear rate. Storage and loss modulus increased with frequency with the addition of ZnO nanoparticles. The GPZnO films exhibited reduced hydrophilicity, moisture content, and water barrier properties compared with the GP film. The GPZnO nanocomposites exhibited effective antimicrobial activity against six different pathogens. The prepared GPZnO films could be useful in biodegradable packaging applications.

Green Nanocomposites for Energy Storage

The green nanocomposites have elite features of sustainable polymers and eco-friendly nanofillers. The green or eco-friendly nanomaterials are low cost, lightweight, eco-friendly, and highly competent for the range of energy applications. This article initially expresses the notions of eco-polymers, eco-nanofillers, and green nanocomposites. Afterward, the energy-related applications of the green nanocomposites have been specified. The green nanocomposites have been used in various energy devices such as solar cells, batteries, light-emitting diodes, etc. The main focus of this artifact is the energy storage application of green nanocomposites. The capacitors have been recognized as corporate devices for energy storage, particularly electrical energy. In this regard, high-performance supercapacitors have been proposed based on sustainable nanocomposites. Consequently, this article presents various approaches providing key knowledge for the design and development of multi-functional energy storage materials. In addition, the future prospects of the green nanocomposites towards energy storage have been discussed.

Environmentally Friendly Synthesis of Poly(3,4-Ethylenedioxythiophene): Poly(Styrene Sulfonate)/SnO2 Nanocomposites.

Conductive poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) is widely used for practical applications such as energy conversion and storage devices owing to its good flexibility, processability, high electrical conductivity, and superior optical transparency, among others. However, its hygroscopic character, short durability, and poor thermoelectric performance compared to inorganic counterparts has greatly limited its high-tech applications. In this work, PEDOT:PSS/SnO2 nanocomposites have been prepared via a simple, low cost, environmentally friendly method without the use of organic solvents or compatibilizing agents. Their morphology, thermal, thermoelectrical, optical, and mechanical properties have been characterized. Electron microscopy analysis revealed a uniform dispersion of the SnO2 nanoparticles, and the Raman spectra revealed the existence of very strong SnO2-PEDOT:PSS interactions. The stiffness and strength of the matrix gradually increased with increasing SnO2 content, up to 120% and 65%, respectively. Moreover, the nanocomposites showed superior thermal stability (as far as 70 °C), improved electrical conductivity (up to 140%), and higher Seebeck coefficient (about 80% increase) than neat PEDOT:PSS. On the other hand, hardly any change in optical transparency was observed. These sustainable nanocomposites show considerably improved performance compared to commercial PEDOT:PSS, and can be highly useful for applications in energy storage, flexible electronics, thermoelectric devices, and related fields.

Adding value to poly (butylene succinate) and nanofibrillated cellulose-based sustainable nanocomposites by applying masterbatch process

The present study highlights the beneficial effects of premixing of highly loaded poly (butylene succinate) (PBS) / nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) nanocomposites under solution conditions and its use as a masterbatch for melt blending. The proposed masterbatch process strategy is a very promising manufacturing technique for nanocomposites. Herein, we show the preparation of masterbatch with NFC with a very high loading of 50 wt.%. Research is aimed towards understanding the solution and melt processing effects on the structure and exploitation properties. The composites with NFC loadings from 5 up to 15 wt.% have been prepared by diluting the masterbatch and compared to conventional solvent casting. The masterbatch process significantly reduced overall solvent usage and improved the NFC dispersion within the polymer matrix. The samples prepared by solution casting showed excellent mechanical performance with an increase in elastic modulus up to 1.6-fold and storage modulus up to 2-fold at room temperature (20 °C) compared to the neat PBS, while masterbatch processed samples showed even higher overall mechanical properties – 1.8-fold and 2.5-fold increase in elastic modulus and storage modulus, correspondingly. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging indicated a homogeneous NFC dispersion for masterbatch samples and revealed agglomeration of NFC for the solvent cast ones. Biodegradation studies in the composting conditions were performed to underpin the weight, visual changes, calorimetric properties, while chemical changes were studied using spectroscopy. The NFC significantly accelerated the nanocomposites' biodegradation process from 80 days for the neat PBS to 60 days for the nanocomposites. The calorimetric studies indicate that NFC promoted crystalline phase formation and reduced crystallinity, but thermal stability was not significantly affected. In addition, the reinforcement factor analysis shows that the suitable masterbatch NFC nanocomposite preparation method's choice has a high potential to obtain high-performance materials for PBS films and packaging applications.

Sustainable microwave synthesis of biodegradable active packaging films based on polycaprolactone and layered ZnO nanoparticles

Sustainable nanocomposites based on biodegradable polycaprolactone (PCL) matrix and ZnO nanoparticles (ZnONPs) functionalized with ionic liquid (IL) were prepared via bulk in-situ ring opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone (εCL). PCL-ZnONPs nanocomposite films were examined in terms of mechanical, thermal and barrier properties. The influence of ZnONPs on the potential antimicrobial effect and biodegradation of PCL-ZnONPs films was investigated. Introduction of IL-ZnONPs NPs (3.0 wt%) into PCL matrix resulted in significant decrease of water vapor permeation (46%), induced bactericidal effect against food-born pathogenic bacterium E.coli and enhanced biodegradation rate of the prepared nanocomposite film. Therefore, these materials present high application potential as active bio-packaging films, e.g. for food storage.