Cellulose Nanocrystals Reinforced Zein/Catechin/β-Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complex Nanoparticles Nanocomposite Film for Active Food Packaging

• Published in: Polymers Vol. 13; no. 16; p. 2759
• Main Authors: Jiang, Longwei, Han, Yanlong, Meng, Xiangyi, Xiao, Yawen, Zhang, Huajiang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 17.08.2021; MDPI
• Subjects: antioxidant activity; Antioxidants; Aqueous solutions; biodegradable films; Biopolymers; Catechin; Cellulose; Cellulose esters; cellulose nanocrystals; Crystalline cellulose; Cyclodextrins; Elongation; Esterification; Ethanol; Food; food oxidation; Food packaging; Fourier transforms; Hydrogen bonds; Inclusion complexes; Infrared analysis; Maleic anhydride; Morphology; Nanocomposites; Nanocrystals; Nanoparticles; Oxidation; Permeability; Polymers; Scanning electron microscopy; Solvents; Soybeans; Sustainable development; Tensile strength; Ultrasonic processing; Water vapor; Zein; China; Japan
• ISSN: 2073-4360; 2073-4360
• DOI: 10.3390/polym13162759

In this study, following the green, environmentally friendly and sustainable development strategy, cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were prepared through a solvent-free esterification reaction between microcrystalline cellulose and maleic anhydride, combined with subsequent ultrasonic treatment, and maleic-anhydride-modified CNC-reinforced zein/catechin/β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex nanoparticles nanocomposite films were prepared by a facile solution casting. The amount of CNCs in the film matrix was 0–8 wt%, and their effect on structural, physicochemical and functional properties of the resulting films were investigated. SEM images showed that the addition of CNCs made the microstructure of the film more smooth and uniform. The intermolecular hydrogen bonds between CNCs and film matrix were supported by FT-IR. XRD analysis also confirmed the appearance of a crystalline peak due to the existence of CNCs inside the films. The incorporation of CNCs significantly reduced water vapor permeability, water solubility and the swelling degree of the nanocomposite film, and also significantly increased tensile strength and elongation at break from 12.66 to 37.82 MPa and 4.5% to 5.2% (p < 0.05). Moreover, nanocomposite film packaging with CNCs can effectively inhibit the oxidation of soybean oil.