Biodegradable Poly(butylene succinate) Laminate with Nanocellulose Interphase Layer for High-Barrier Packaging Film Application

In response to rising concerns over the environmental and human health ramifications of polymers derived from petroleum, particularly in the food packaging industry, research has pivoted towards more sustainable materials. Poly(butylene succinate) (PBS), selected as the polymer matrix, stands out as...

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Main Authors: Martins Nabels-Sneiders, Anda Barkane, Oskars Platnieks, Liga Orlova, Sergejs Gaidukovs
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-11-01
Series:Foods
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/12/22/4136
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author Martins Nabels-Sneiders
Anda Barkane
Oskars Platnieks
Liga Orlova
Sergejs Gaidukovs
author_facet Martins Nabels-Sneiders
Anda Barkane
Oskars Platnieks
Liga Orlova
Sergejs Gaidukovs
author_sort Martins Nabels-Sneiders
collection DOAJ
description In response to rising concerns over the environmental and human health ramifications of polymers derived from petroleum, particularly in the food packaging industry, research has pivoted towards more sustainable materials. Poly(butylene succinate) (PBS), selected as the polymer matrix, stands out as one of the most promising bio-based and biodegradable polymers suitable for film blowing and lamination. A layered spray-coating technique was employed to apply 1, 5, 10, and 20 layers of nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) between blown PBS films, creating a three-layer laminate structure. NFC sourced from minimally processed hemp stalk waste highlights the potential for minimizing environmental impact. The water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of these films, a critical parameter for food packaging, was assessed in a controlled environment at 38 °C and 90% relative humidity over a period of two months. The integration of a single NFC layer, constituting 0.35% of the composite’s weight, was observed to significantly reduce the WVTR by up to 5.5-fold. It was noted that higher NFC layer counts above 10 reduced the adhesion within the laminate layers. Morphological assessments showed that the number of structural defects increased with a higher count of NFC layers. As the count of NFC layers increased, the optical transparency of the laminates dropped from approximately 65% to 25% in the visible light spectrum. Notably, by weight percent, NFC proved to be an effective barrier even without chemical modification. The developed laminates stand out as a viable, green option for food packaging, offering a sustainable and renewable solution.
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spelling doaj.art-5007fc792c774df7b9d68e0e8bed42482023-11-24T14:42:11ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582023-11-011222413610.3390/foods12224136Biodegradable Poly(butylene succinate) Laminate with Nanocellulose Interphase Layer for High-Barrier Packaging Film ApplicationMartins Nabels-Sneiders0Anda Barkane1Oskars Platnieks2Liga Orlova3Sergejs Gaidukovs4Institute of Polymer Materials, Faculty of Materials Science and Applied Chemistry, Riga Technical University, P. Valdena 3/7, LV-1048 Riga, LatviaInstitute of Polymer Materials, Faculty of Materials Science and Applied Chemistry, Riga Technical University, P. Valdena 3/7, LV-1048 Riga, LatviaInstitute of Polymer Materials, Faculty of Materials Science and Applied Chemistry, Riga Technical University, P. Valdena 3/7, LV-1048 Riga, LatviaInstitute of Materials and Surface Engineering, Faculty of Materials Science and Applied Chemistry, Riga Technical University, P. Valdena 3, LV-1048 Riga, LatviaInstitute of Polymer Materials, Faculty of Materials Science and Applied Chemistry, Riga Technical University, P. Valdena 3/7, LV-1048 Riga, LatviaIn response to rising concerns over the environmental and human health ramifications of polymers derived from petroleum, particularly in the food packaging industry, research has pivoted towards more sustainable materials. Poly(butylene succinate) (PBS), selected as the polymer matrix, stands out as one of the most promising bio-based and biodegradable polymers suitable for film blowing and lamination. A layered spray-coating technique was employed to apply 1, 5, 10, and 20 layers of nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) between blown PBS films, creating a three-layer laminate structure. NFC sourced from minimally processed hemp stalk waste highlights the potential for minimizing environmental impact. The water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of these films, a critical parameter for food packaging, was assessed in a controlled environment at 38 °C and 90% relative humidity over a period of two months. The integration of a single NFC layer, constituting 0.35% of the composite’s weight, was observed to significantly reduce the WVTR by up to 5.5-fold. It was noted that higher NFC layer counts above 10 reduced the adhesion within the laminate layers. Morphological assessments showed that the number of structural defects increased with a higher count of NFC layers. As the count of NFC layers increased, the optical transparency of the laminates dropped from approximately 65% to 25% in the visible light spectrum. Notably, by weight percent, NFC proved to be an effective barrier even without chemical modification. The developed laminates stand out as a viable, green option for food packaging, offering a sustainable and renewable solution.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/12/22/4136compositenanofibrillated cellulosemorphologyultraviolet–visible spectroscopysustainablegreen material
spellingShingle Martins Nabels-Sneiders
Anda Barkane
Oskars Platnieks
Liga Orlova
Sergejs Gaidukovs
Biodegradable Poly(butylene succinate) Laminate with Nanocellulose Interphase Layer for High-Barrier Packaging Film Application
Foods
composite
nanofibrillated cellulose
morphology
ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy
sustainable
green material
title Biodegradable Poly(butylene succinate) Laminate with Nanocellulose Interphase Layer for High-Barrier Packaging Film Application
title_full Biodegradable Poly(butylene succinate) Laminate with Nanocellulose Interphase Layer for High-Barrier Packaging Film Application
title_fullStr Biodegradable Poly(butylene succinate) Laminate with Nanocellulose Interphase Layer for High-Barrier Packaging Film Application
title_full_unstemmed Biodegradable Poly(butylene succinate) Laminate with Nanocellulose Interphase Layer for High-Barrier Packaging Film Application
title_short Biodegradable Poly(butylene succinate) Laminate with Nanocellulose Interphase Layer for High-Barrier Packaging Film Application
title_sort biodegradable poly butylene succinate laminate with nanocellulose interphase layer for high barrier packaging film application
topic composite
nanofibrillated cellulose
morphology
ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy
sustainable
green material
url https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/12/22/4136
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