Improvement of Food Packaging-Related Properties of Whey Protein Isolate-Based Nanocomposite Films and Coatings by Addition of Montmorillonite Nanoplatelets

In this study, the effects of the addition of montmorillonite (MMT) nanoplatelets on whey protein isolate (WPI)-based nanocomposite films and coatings were investigated. The main objective was the development of WPI-based MMT nanocomposites with enhanced barrier and mechanical properties. WPI-based...

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Main Authors: Markus Schmid, Sarah Merzbacher, Nicola Brzoska, Kerstin Müller, Marius Jesdinszki
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2017-11-01
Series:Frontiers in Materials
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmats.2017.00035/full
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author Markus Schmid
Markus Schmid
Sarah Merzbacher
Nicola Brzoska
Kerstin Müller
Marius Jesdinszki
author_facet Markus Schmid
Markus Schmid
Sarah Merzbacher
Nicola Brzoska
Kerstin Müller
Marius Jesdinszki
author_sort Markus Schmid
collection DOAJ
description In this study, the effects of the addition of montmorillonite (MMT) nanoplatelets on whey protein isolate (WPI)-based nanocomposite films and coatings were investigated. The main objective was the development of WPI-based MMT nanocomposites with enhanced barrier and mechanical properties. WPI-based nanocomposite cast films and coatings were prepared by dispersing 0% (reference sample), 3, 6, 9% (w/w protein) MMT, or, depending on the protein concentration, also 12 and 15% (w/w protein) MMT into native WPI-based dispersions, followed by subsequent denaturation during the drying and curing process. The natural MMT nanofillers could be randomly dispersed into film-forming WPI-based nanodispersions, displaying good compatibility with the hydrophilic biopolymer matrix. As a result, by addition of 15% (w/w protein) MMT into 10% (w/w dispersion) WPI-based cast films or coatings, the oxygen permeability (OP) was reduced by 91% for glycerol-plasticized and 84% for sorbitol-plasticized coatings, water vapor transmission rate was reduced by 58% for sorbitol-plasticized cast films. Due to the addition of MMT nanofillers, the Young’s modulus and tensile strength improved by 315 and 129%, respectively, whereas elongation at break declined by 77% for glycerol-plasticized cast films. In addition, comparison of plasticizer type revealed that sorbitol-plasticized cast films were generally stiffer and stronger, but less flexible compared glycerol-plasticized cast films. Viscosity measurements demonstrated good processability and suitability for up-scaled industrial processes of native WPI-based nanocomposite dispersions, even at high-nanofiller loadings. These results suggest that the addition of natural MMT nanofillers into native WPI-based matrices to form nanocomposite films and coatings holds great potential to replace well-established, fossil-based packaging materials for at least certain applications such as oxygen barriers as part of multilayer flexible packaging films.
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spelling doaj.art-8e70147fdcf34f45945580f9849ebbd92022-12-22T02:37:44ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Materials2296-80162017-11-01410.3389/fmats.2017.00035309485Improvement of Food Packaging-Related Properties of Whey Protein Isolate-Based Nanocomposite Films and Coatings by Addition of Montmorillonite NanoplateletsMarkus Schmid0Markus Schmid1Sarah Merzbacher2Nicola Brzoska3Kerstin Müller4Marius Jesdinszki5TUM School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Freising, GermanyMaterials Development Department, Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV, Freising, GermanyTUM School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Freising, GermanyTUM School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Freising, GermanyTUM School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Freising, GermanyTUM School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Freising, GermanyIn this study, the effects of the addition of montmorillonite (MMT) nanoplatelets on whey protein isolate (WPI)-based nanocomposite films and coatings were investigated. The main objective was the development of WPI-based MMT nanocomposites with enhanced barrier and mechanical properties. WPI-based nanocomposite cast films and coatings were prepared by dispersing 0% (reference sample), 3, 6, 9% (w/w protein) MMT, or, depending on the protein concentration, also 12 and 15% (w/w protein) MMT into native WPI-based dispersions, followed by subsequent denaturation during the drying and curing process. The natural MMT nanofillers could be randomly dispersed into film-forming WPI-based nanodispersions, displaying good compatibility with the hydrophilic biopolymer matrix. As a result, by addition of 15% (w/w protein) MMT into 10% (w/w dispersion) WPI-based cast films or coatings, the oxygen permeability (OP) was reduced by 91% for glycerol-plasticized and 84% for sorbitol-plasticized coatings, water vapor transmission rate was reduced by 58% for sorbitol-plasticized cast films. Due to the addition of MMT nanofillers, the Young’s modulus and tensile strength improved by 315 and 129%, respectively, whereas elongation at break declined by 77% for glycerol-plasticized cast films. In addition, comparison of plasticizer type revealed that sorbitol-plasticized cast films were generally stiffer and stronger, but less flexible compared glycerol-plasticized cast films. Viscosity measurements demonstrated good processability and suitability for up-scaled industrial processes of native WPI-based nanocomposite dispersions, even at high-nanofiller loadings. These results suggest that the addition of natural MMT nanofillers into native WPI-based matrices to form nanocomposite films and coatings holds great potential to replace well-established, fossil-based packaging materials for at least certain applications such as oxygen barriers as part of multilayer flexible packaging films.http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmats.2017.00035/fullwhey protein isolatenanocompositenanofilleroxygen permeabilitywater vapor permeabilitymontmorillonite
spellingShingle Markus Schmid
Markus Schmid
Sarah Merzbacher
Nicola Brzoska
Kerstin Müller
Marius Jesdinszki
Improvement of Food Packaging-Related Properties of Whey Protein Isolate-Based Nanocomposite Films and Coatings by Addition of Montmorillonite Nanoplatelets
Frontiers in Materials
whey protein isolate
nanocomposite
nanofiller
oxygen permeability
water vapor permeability
montmorillonite
title Improvement of Food Packaging-Related Properties of Whey Protein Isolate-Based Nanocomposite Films and Coatings by Addition of Montmorillonite Nanoplatelets
title_full Improvement of Food Packaging-Related Properties of Whey Protein Isolate-Based Nanocomposite Films and Coatings by Addition of Montmorillonite Nanoplatelets
title_fullStr Improvement of Food Packaging-Related Properties of Whey Protein Isolate-Based Nanocomposite Films and Coatings by Addition of Montmorillonite Nanoplatelets
title_full_unstemmed Improvement of Food Packaging-Related Properties of Whey Protein Isolate-Based Nanocomposite Films and Coatings by Addition of Montmorillonite Nanoplatelets
title_short Improvement of Food Packaging-Related Properties of Whey Protein Isolate-Based Nanocomposite Films and Coatings by Addition of Montmorillonite Nanoplatelets
title_sort improvement of food packaging related properties of whey protein isolate based nanocomposite films and coatings by addition of montmorillonite nanoplatelets
topic whey protein isolate
nanocomposite
nanofiller
oxygen permeability
water vapor permeability
montmorillonite
url http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmats.2017.00035/full
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