bioORMOCER^®-Compostable Functional Barrier Coatings for Food Packaging

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Sustainable Packaging

Background:

• Biodegradable packaging faces limitations in barrier properties for food applications.
• ORMOCER® coatings offer high barrier performance but lack biodegradability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create a biodegradable ORMOCER® coating (bioORMOCER®) that retains excellent barrier and functional properties.
• To enhance the sustainability of food packaging materials.

Main Methods:

• Incorporation of functionalized tamarind hemicellulose (Glyate®) into the ORMOCER® matrix via a two-step amination process.
• Characterization of aminated Glyate® using FTIR, solid-state NMR, and elemental analysis.
• Evaluation of bioORMOCER® coatings using techniques like Raman spectroscopy, LSM, OTR, E-Module, and adhesion tests.

Main Results:

• Successful synthesis of aminated Glyate® and its incorporation into new bioORMOCER® lacquers.
• BioORMOCER® coatings demonstrated preserved barrier and functional properties comparable to conventional ORMOCER®.
• Standardized tests confirmed compostability, low migration, and antimicrobial suitability for food packaging.

Conclusions:

• The novel bioORMOCER® coatings are a viable and sustainable alternative for food packaging.
• Modification of ORMOCER® with tamarind hemicellulose effectively addresses the need for biodegradable, high-barrier materials.