High-Barrier and Antioxidant Poly(lactic acid)/Nanocellulose Multilayered Materials for Packaging

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Science
• Biomaterials Engineering

Background:

• Growing demand for sustainable, high-performance bio-based materials.
• Need for enhanced barrier and antioxidant properties in packaging materials.
• Potential of cellulose nanomaterials (CNFs, CNCs) and polylactic acid (PLA) for hybrid applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create novel three-phase multilayered materials (TMLs) by combining modified cellulose nanomaterials with PLA.
• To investigate the barrier properties (oxygen and water vapor) of these TMLs.
• To evaluate the antioxidant potential of the developed hybrid materials.

Main Methods:

• Modification of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) or cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) with a rosin-based nanoemulsion.
• Fabrication of TMLs by heat-pressing modified nanocellulose films between two PLA sheets.
• Assessment of oxygen and water vapor permeability.
• Evaluation of radical scavenging activity for antioxidant properties.

Main Results:

• Significant enhancement of oxygen barrier properties, with oxygen permeability reduced by 84-96% (neat nanocellulose) and 44-50% (rosin-modified nanocellulose).
• Demonstrated antioxidant properties with a radical scavenging activity of approximately 20% in rosin-containing TMLs.
• Successful complexation and fabrication of TMLs showcasing the efficiency of the heat-pressing method.

Conclusions:

• The developed method offers a simple and effective route to hybrid multimaterials.
• The TMLs exhibit excellent barrier and antioxidant characteristics, suitable for food packaging.
• This research paves the way for advanced, eco-friendly packaging solutions.