Renewable cellulosic nanocomposites for food packaging to avoid fossil fuel plastic pollution: a review

Abstract

The extensive use of petroleum-based synthetic and non-biodegradable materials for packaging applications has caused severe environmental damage. The rising demand for sustainable packaging materials has encouraged scientists to explore abundant unconventional materials. For instance, cellulose, extracted from lignocellulosic biomass, has gained attention owing to its ecological and biodegradable nature. This article reviews the extraction of cellulose nanoparticles from conventional and non-conventional lignocellulosic biomass, and the preparation of cellulosic nanocomposites for food packaging. Cellulosic nanocomposites exhibit exceptional mechanical, biodegradation, optical and barrier properties, which are attributed to the nanoscale structure and the high specific surface area, of 533 m2 g−1, of cellulose. The mechanical properties of composites improve with the content of cellulose nanoparticles, yet an excessive amount induces agglomeration and, in turn, poor mechanical properties. Addition of cellulose nanoparticles increases tensile properties by about 42%. Barrier properties of the composites are reinforced by cellulose nanoparticles; for instance, the water vapor permeability decreased by 28% in the presence of 5 wt% cellulose nanoparticles. Moreover, 1 wt% addition of filler decreased the oxygen transmission rate by 21%. We also discuss the eco-design process, designing principles and challenges.

Polymeric composite materials for radiation shielding: a review

“…Also, the type, concentration, and size of filler are important parameters to be considered when synthesizing a polymer composite. The nanoparticles with their large surface-to-volume ratio are reactive fillers that can be dispersed easily within the matrix and form an interphase region between the surface of the particle and the matrix itself (Puglia and Kenny 2018 ) …”

“…Cellulose nanoparticles were extracted from from conventional and nonconventional lignocellulosic biomass for food packaging applications to avoid the extensive use of nonbiodegradable materials. The synthesized cellulosic nanocomposites exhibited promising optical, biodegradation, mechanical, and barrier properties due to the large surface area of nanoscale structure (Qasim et al 2020). Nanomaterials play also an important role in moisture absorbing packaging in food industry taking into consideration all the safety concerns and toxcitiy issues (Gaikwad et al 2018).…”

Bionanocomposite Blown Films: Insights on the Rheological and Mechanical Behavior

“…Polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polystyrene are the most common polymers employed in the packaging industry, accounting for more than 90% of the total volume of plastics used for this specific application [ 12 , 13 ].…”

Antimicrobial Edible Film Prepared from Bacterial Cellulose Nanofibers/Starch/Chitosan for a Food Packaging Alternative

“…However, films made of starch alone have low mechanical and thermal properties, high moisture absorption, and poor antimicrobial resistance [5,6]. Many attempts have been conducted previously to reduce these weaknesses by adding environmentally friendly fillers to the starch film [7][8][9][10]. Of these edible fillers, cellulose fiber and chitosan have significant potential, with one being one of the most abundant in nature [10,11].…”