Development of polylactic acid-based nanomat with silver nitrate and betel leaf extract for antimicrobial food...

The growing environmental effects and safety issues associated with the use of traditional petroleum-based packaging materials have increased the need for sustainable and antimicrobial products. In the present work, an electrospun polylactic acid (PLA) nanomat containing silver nitrate and betel leaf (Piper betle L.) extract was fabricated for food packaging with antimicrobial properties. The electrospinning method achieved pure PLA and nanomats with different extract concentrations. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed that electrospun fibers were uniformly formed, and the fiber diameter as well as porosity decreased with increasing extract loadings, leading to a more compact nanofiber structure. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) examination confirmed the successful presence of silver and bioactive phytochemicals through the PLA matrix. Moisture management testing (MMT) confirmed superior waterproofing of the composite nanomats. Antibacterial and antifungal studies indicated significant inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Aspergillus niger, where the nanomat demonstrated the most efficient antimicrobial action owing to the combined effects of betel leaf extract and silver ions. From the thermal analysis, the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of developed nanomats were better than those of pure PLA. Analysis of mechanical performance (tensile and bursting) showed that it has acceptable tensile and bursting strength characteristics for packaging purposes. These results indicated that prepared PLA-based nanomats possessed improved antimicrobial, thermal, and moisture barrier activities as well as mechanical properties, supporting the potential of their application for eco-friendly and sustainable antimicrobial food packaging materials.