Chemically Modified Nanoparticles for Enhanced Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Properties with Cinnamon Essential Oil

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Food Science

Background:

• Nanoparticles offer unique properties for material enhancement.
• Cinnamon essential oil (CEO) possesses known antioxidant and antimicrobial benefits.
• Combining nanoparticles and CEO could create synergistic effects for active materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of pure and CEO-modified nanoparticles (TiO2, CaCO3, Al2O3) on polymer properties.
• To evaluate the antioxidant and antimicrobial efficacy of these modified nanoparticles.
• To assess the suitability of these materials for active packaging.

Main Methods:

• Nanoparticle characterization using FTIR, XRD, TGA, and SEM.
• Incorporation of nanoparticles into polylactic acid (PLA) films.
• Evaluation of mechanical, thermal, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties.

Main Results:

• Aluminum oxide (Al2O3) nanoparticles demonstrated the strongest interaction with CEO, boosting antioxidant capacity by ~40% and antimicrobial activity, especially against Gram-negative bacteria.
• Titanium dioxide (TiO2) and calcium carbonate (CaCO3) nanoparticles showed limited interaction with CEO.
• Incorporation of nanoparticles enhanced the mechanical and thermal properties of PLA films.

Conclusions:

• CEO-modified Al2O3 nanoparticles significantly enhance antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.
• Nanoparticles improve the mechanical and thermal characteristics of PLA films.
• These modified PLA films are promising for active packaging due to enhanced functionality.