Preparation and characteristic evaluation of LDPE/clay nanocomposites for food packaging

The characteristics of LDPE/clay nanocomposites, consisting of low-density polyethylene (LDPE), organic clay [montmorillonite (MMT)], and compatibilizer [maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene (MAPE)] at varying concentrations, were investigated in terms of mechanical, thermal, morphological, and barrier characteristics for potential use in food packaging. LDPE/clay nanocomposites exhibited superior mechanical properties, encompassing tensile, flexural, and Izod impact strengths, relative to pure LDPE. Thermal analysis evidenced that the degradation temperatures increased as clay concentration increased. According to the X-ray diffractograms, the MAPE incorporation was found to improve the compatibility between pure LDPE and clay. Additionally, the clay incorporation increased the path length for gas molecules, resulting in a significant reduction in the oxygen permeability of pure LDPE.