Characterization of bio-nanocomposite films based on gelatin/polyvinyl alcohol blend reinforced with bacterial cellulose nanowhiskers for food packaging applications

By H. Haghighi, M. Gullo, Salvatore La China, F. Pfeifer, H. Siesler, Fabio Licciardello, Andrea Pulvirenti. 2020

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Abstract Bacterial cellulose nanowhisker (BCNW) was synthesized from Komagataeibacter xylinus (strain K2G30; UMCC 2756) using sulfuric acid hydrolysis and it was incorporated into the gelatin-polyvinyl alcohol (GL/PVA) blend film matrix. The effect of BCNW content (1–10 wt% of biopolymer) on the microstructural, mechanical, optical, and water barrier properties of bio-nanocomposites was studied. The transmission electron microscopy image showed that BCNW had a needle shape structure with an average length of 600 nm and an average width of 30 nm. The crystallinity index of BCNW was 94.7% using X-ray diffraction. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) illustrated good miscibility between GL/PVA blend film matrix and BCNW up to 7.5 wt%. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy in the attenuated total reflection mode showed molecular interactions between functional groups of the GL/PVA blend film matrix and BCNW. The incorporation of BCNW up to 7.5% into the GL/PVA blend enhanced the water vapor transmission rate and water vapor permeability by about 22% and 14%, respectively, while tensile strength, elongation at break, and elastic modulus increased by about 21.5%, 41% and 19%, respectively (p 0.05) suggesting that the BCNW was dispersed uniformly at the nanoscale. All films were colorless (ΔE*

Subfields: Biomaterials

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/beb64755793724b70da1a7d5e6ae9ba4263910db