Polyethylene glycol grafted polyethylene: a versatile platform for nonmigratory active packaging applications

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Food Science

Background:

• Nonmigratory active packaging aims to improve food safety and quality by tethering bioactive components to packaging.
• A key challenge is preventing the loss of biomolecular activity during immobilization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a method for immobilizing amine-terminated bioactive molecules onto polymer packaging surfaces.
• To create a biocompatible tether for nonmigratory active packaging applications.

Main Methods:

• Ozone treatment of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) films.
• Grafting of polyethylene glycol (PEG) onto the LDPE surface via free radical polymerization.
• Immobilization of ethylenediamine onto the PEG tether to demonstrate covalent attachment of amine-terminated molecules.

Main Results:

• Successfully grafted PEG onto LDPE surfaces, creating a functionalized material.
• Demonstrated the covalent attachment of amine-terminated molecules to the PEG tether.
• Characterized surface chemistry and topography changes using various spectroscopic and microscopic techniques.

Conclusions:

• The developed technique enables the creation of nonmigratory active packaging with immobilized bioactive compounds.
• This method is adaptable for various applications, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, and immobilized enzyme packaging.
• Offers a pathway to enhance food safety and quality while minimizing active agent migration.