Comparative analysis of cellulose nanocrystals and cellulose nanofibrils on the physico‐chemical properties of polyvinyl alcohol/chitosan blend for sustainable food packaging

Abstract

AbstractThe food industry's ever‐increasing need to substitute synthetic packaging materials has led to the development of eco‐friendly alternatives with improved physical and mechanical properties. The main objective of this work relates to the effect of adding different weight fractions (1, 3 and 5 wt%) of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) on the morphological, thermal, structural, biodegradable and mechanical properties of PVA/Chitosan (CS) bio‐nanocomposites. The DSC and FTIR results reveal that PVA and Chitosan are compatible due to the strong interactions via hydrogen bonding, which are also proved by the tensile test. The water solubility test indicates the biodegradability of nanocomposites. Furthermore, CNF have significantly enhanced the mechanical properties of PVA/CS. Hence, PVA/CS/CNF nanocomposites can be efficiently utilized for bio‐based packaging materials, where good mechanical properties are prime requirements.