Open AccessImproving the packaging performance of low-density polyethylene with PCL/nanocellulose/copper(II)oxide barrier layer
Author(s) -
Nenad Djordjevic,
Dragan Marinković,
Milutin Živković,
Vera Kovačević,
Suzana Dimitrijević,
Vanja Kokol,
Dragan Uskoković
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
science of sintering/science of sintering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.309
H-Index - 25
eISSN - 1820-7413
pISSN - 0350-820X
DOI - 10.2298/sos1802149d
Subject(s) - materials science , low density polyethylene , nanocomposite , nanocellulose , maleic anhydride , composite material , polyethylene , chemical engineering , polymer , copolymer , cellulose , engineering
A novel double layered hybrid materials, consisting of low density polyethylene (LDPE) base layer and polycaprolactone (PCL) top layer containing surface modified nanocellulose (NC) based nanocomposites in 0.5 and 2 % loadings, were studied in order to design multipurpose packaging material. NC was covalently modified with maleic anhydride (MA) to obtain NCMA, and upon co-precipitation of copper (II) oxide (CuO) on NC and NCMA surface, NC-CuO and NCMA-CuO nanocomposite materials were produced. Two drying methods, conventional and lyophilization, were applied to investigate process influences on the properties of obtained hybrid material. Oxygen transmission rate and antimicrobial activity were determined for all produced hybrid materials. PE-PCL-NCMA-CuO-L2 exhibited the highest antifungal properties, indicating contribution of MA residual group and drying conditions (liophylisation) to achievement of 97 % reduction in cell viability of C. albicans. The sample with 2 % of NCMA-CuO, PE-PCL-NCMA-CuO2, demonstrated to be the most promising material regarding improvement in antibacterial and antifugal activity, as well as 16 % lower value of the oxygen transmission rate in comparison to pure LDPE.