Plastics have long been identified as the main culprit for environmental pollution. Molded pulp products (MPPs) are one of the promising candidates that are made of cellulose fibers by pulping and ...hot-pressing to replace plastic packaging. However, MPPs generally suffer from insufficient mechanical properties and poor water stabilities due to the intrinsic hydrophilicity of cellulose. This work developed an all biomass-based MPP with excellent mechanical strength and water stability by using lignin as the additive. Lignin was extracted from sugarcane bagasse through Klason and alkaline processes, respectively. The structural differences of lignin, the mechanical properties and water stabilities of lignin-added MPPs were investigated. The results show Klason lignin provides no enhancement in tensile strength due to severe condensation reaction in acid. Alkaline lignin significantly improved the mechanical strength (38 MPa) and Young’s modulus (3590 MPa) of MPPs and endowed excellent water stability. The initial water contact angle was measured to be 117° and remained above 50° after 30 min, which was achieved with 20% lignin addition. The water absorption (36%) and thickness swelling ratio (30%) were much lower compared with commercial bagasse tableware. The developed all-biomass composite materials have great potential to replace non-biodegradable plastic packaging materials.
Display omitted
•Lignin obtained from sugarcane bagasse was incorporated to wood pulp.•Molded pulp materials (MPPs) were prepared with good mechanical properties.•Alkaline-lignin-MPPs show a water absorption of 36% and thickness swelling ratio of 30%.•Alkaline-lignin-MPPs show a better biodegradability than commercial bagasse tableware.
Interest in constructing composite materials from biosourced, recycled materials; waste resources; and their combinations is growing. Biocomposites have attracted the attention of automakers for the ...design of lightweight parts. Hybrid biocomposites made of petrochemical-based and bioresourced materials have led to technological advances in manufacturing. Greener biocomposites from plant-derived fiber and crop-derived plastics with higher biobased content are continuously being developed. Biodegradable composites have shown potential for major uses in sustainable packaging. Recycled plastic materials originally destined for landfills can be redirected and repurposed for blending in composite applications, thus leading to reduced dependence on virgin petro-based materials. Studies on compatibility of recycled and waste materials with other components in composite structure for improved interface and better mechanical performance pose major scientific challenges. This research holds the promise of advancing a key global sustainability goal.
In a society challenged by the climate change and striving more and more towards sustainability, the contribution of the polyolefins industry is based on three main approaches: (i) improving ...performance and reducing amount of material needed, (ii) design for recycling, i.e. developing formulations that are easily recyclable, and (iii) incorporating recycled polymers into existing and newly developed formulations. Polyolefin applications are being re-designed to allow this transformation. Also well-established polymers are being re-newed, for example polyethylene, one of the oldest and most widely used polymers. Herein, we introduce a novel polyethylene grade with a trimodal design, combining three distinct polymer fractions. This trimodal polyethylene exhibits a new balance of mechanical properties and opens opportunities for the formulation of more sustainable applications.
Display omitted
•Contribute to sustainability: better performance to reduce amount of material, design for recycling, incorporate recyclates.•Polyethylene is still able to re-new itself and keep the leadership as the most long-lasting and versatile polymers we know.•Trimodality extends the properties balance with better processability at lower MFR and higher stiffness at similar toughness.•Extending the balance of properties over a wider range was useful for developing more sustainable film applications.
Bio-based and biodegradable polymers opens up opportunities to overcome resource depletion and plastic pollution. However, the degradation mechanism based on ester bond breakage makes it difficult to ...achieve controllable degradation induced by external stimuli. In this work, we present a new 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid-based copolyesters (PBFDi) by partially replacing carbon–carbon backbones with disulfide bonds and discuss the influence of disulfide bonds on thermal stability, crystallization behavior, mechanical and barrier properties of polyesters. They could maintain stable for 1 h at processing temperatures of 220 °C, meeting the needs of long-term melt processing. The asymmetric structure of the furan ring and the slower free rotation of disulfide bonds help restrict the mobility of chains and obstruct gas permeation, resulting in 9.3–126.7 times increase in O2 barrier than commercial PBAT. With the introduction of small amount (≤40 %) of disulfide bond units, the hydrolysis rate is relatively slow and can maintain stable during storage and use. As expected, the copolyesters show redox dual-responsive degradation. Even at low concentrations (0.01 M and 0.1 M) of H2O2, the transition from hydrophobicity to hydrophilicity can be achieved, expected to accelerate the hydrolysis of PBFDi. The fast cleavage of disulfide bonds induced by DTT could be influenced by the copolymerized FDCA units. Lastly, the redox dual-responsive mechanism is elucidated, and how the rigid FDCA co-monomers affect the redox dual responsiveness is also clarified.
Display omitted
•Bio-based and high gas barrier PBFDi copolymer for green packagings.•The asymmetric furan ring and slow rotation of disulfide bonds restricted chain motion.•The PBFDi transformed from hydrophobicity to hydrophilicity at low concentrations of H2O2.•Smart degradation under mild stimuli of redox reagent.
The technology of food packaging is responding to significant market dynamics such as the rapid growth in e-commerce and preservation of fresh food, a sector that accounts for over 40% of plastic ...waste. Further, mandates for sustainability and recent changes in national governmental policies and regulations that include banning single-use plastic products as observed in sweeping reforms in Europe, Asia, and several US States are forcing industries and consumers to find alternative solutions.
This review highlights an ongoing shift of barrier coatings from traditional synthetic polymers to sustainable breakthrough materials for paper-based packaging and films. Advantages, challenges and adapting feasibility of these materials are described, highlighting the implications of selecting different materials and processing options. A brief description on progress in methods of coating technologies is also included. Finally, the end fate of the barrier materials is classified depending on the packaging type, coating materials used and sorting facility availability.
Different types of coatings, such as water-based biopolymers, due to their greater environmental compatibility, are making inroads into more traditional petroleum-based wax and plastic laminate paperboard products for fresh food bakery, frozen food, and take-out containers applications. In addition, nano-biocomposites have been studied at an accelerating pace for developing active and smart packaging. Based on the momentum of recent developments, a strong pace of continuing developments in the field can be expected.
Display omitted
•Top trends in food packaging are driven by sustainability, e-commerce, and the end fate of the materials.•Recent developments in bio-based materials have the potential of replacing petro-based polymers.•High speed and specialized coating methods have emerged in the past few years for food packaging development.•Businesses are focused on the recycling of synthetic and biopolymers.
The huge amounts of plastic production (millions of tons) are carried out all around world every year and EU is one of the biggest consumers of these products. In 2021, recycling rate of plastic ...wastes around 32.5% in the EU and the rest end up on their journey in landfills and oceans that lead to environmental pollution which is a crucial global concern. Thus, it is important to take necessary steps to control the use of such plastic and to sustainably dispose them. One of the solutions to the problem is to use a better alternative to plastics which doesn't degrade land, water or air nor affects living organisms. Circular economy is another answer to this problem, it would ensure prevention of post-consumer plastic waste from getting formed. In addition, sustainable disposal approaches for plastic waste such as pyrolysis, plasma gasification, photocatalytic degradation, and production of value-added products from polymer waste can be explored. These recycling methods has huge potential for research and studies and can play a crucial in eliminating post-consumer plastic waste. This review paper aims to discuss the environmental effects of post-consumer plastic wastes as well as the emerging approaches for the treatment of these environmental wastes towards eco-sustainability and circular economy.
Display omitted
•Harms of plastic wastes to air, water and soil are very alarming.•The effects of post-consumer plastic wastes on ecosystem were discussed.•Recycling rate of plastic wastes around 32.5% in the EU in 2021.•The use of circular economy of plastics enables the reduce of plastic wastes.•The use of biodegradable plastics is crucial to keep the ecosystem clean.
Sustainable, biodegradable active food packaging has been considered a potential candidate to solve problems associated with petroleum-derived packaging materials and food waste generation. ...Accordingly, the latest technology using active food packaging based on cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) reinforced biocomposite films is one of the packaging solutions to prevent food degradation from mechanical, chemical and microbial damage. Among the available bionanomaterials, CNC is a potential candidate for developing biocomposite-based food packaging for their non-toxicity, abundance, biodegradability, biocompatibility, bio-based, crystalline, renewable resource origin, and surface chemistry. In this review, we discussed various fabrication techniques of CNC including acid hydrolysis, enzymatic hydrolysis, subcritical water hydrolysis, oxidative digestion, ammonium persulfate, and TEMPO oxidation for CNC extraction. Various methods are used to characterize the physical, chemical, and surface properties of CNC, such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction spectra, elemental analysis, morphological analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Various processing techniques for CNC-based packaging include solution casting, blown film, and melt extrusion. Using CNC as reinforcement materials influences the packaging properties such as barrier (gas, water vapor, UV light), mechanical, thermal, optical, and functional properties. The review also discusses the use of CNC-based nanocomposites for active packaging applications.
Display omitted
•The preparation of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) from agricultural waste was reviewed.•Strategic paths to modify CNC-reinforced packaging materials were discussed.•A variety of processing techniques are used to develop CNC-based packaging films.•Cellulose nanocrystals as nanofillers affect the properties of packaging films.•The use of CNC in the development of various sustainable packaging films was reviewed.
Bioplastics for food packaging Shlush, Eden; Davidovich-Pinhas, Maya
Trends in Food Science & Technology,
July 2022, 2022-07-00, 20220701, Letnik:
125
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Background.
Packaging materials are responsible for approximately 40% of the produced plastics while food packaging is the number one end user of such materials. Due to the diverse and extensive ...deleterious effects of conventional plastics on the environment, the food packaging industry is constantly seeking for new alternatives for such materials.
Scope and approach.
In an attempt to replace petroleum-based plastics and formulate a sustainable solution, new generation of plastic materials termed ‘bioplastics’ have been developed. The term bioplastic is mostly used to define plastics that can be either bio-based, biodegradable, or both. The current review explores the basic function of food packaging, various types of packaging, the required characteristics and possible processing techniques, and degradation routes of bioplastics. Moreover, the manuscript provides a broad overview of different types of bioplastics utilized in food packaging and their constituent biopolymers, highlighting their distinctive properties and functionalities in relation to their packaging applications.
Key findings and conclusions.
The food packaging is progressing fast in order to meet the world need for environmentally friendly and sustainable packaging material. These attempts are focused in various fronts which includes (i) improving the performance of natural biodegradable polymers using physical, chemical and enzymatic treatments, (ii) synthesizing new biodegradable polymers, improving the polymer characteristics, and scaling up the processes, (iii) improving the production of bio-based conventional polymers, and (iv) searching for new renewable sources.
•Plastic packaging is accountable for ∼40% of produced plastics, when food packaging is the number one end user.•Food packaging is used in order to contain and protect products allowing convenient consumer experience and communication.•Bioplastic material can be referred as bio-based, biodegradable, or both.•Bioplastic development for food packaging is steadily growing increasing their use as opposed to conventional plastics.
Cushioning Effect of Loofah Hyunmin Bae; Rhea Kapoor; Pavarit Phanichkul ...
International scholastic journal of science,
01/2022, Letnik:
16, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
A sustainable alternative to bubble wrap to protect items during shipping is needed. The suitability of using loofah was explored. The cushioning effect of loofah during collisions was measured using ...a metal cart and varying layers of loofah. The maximum deceleration of the cart during the collision was determined. Increasing the number of layers of loofah showed a strong inverse relationship with maximum deceleration upon collision compared to layers of bubble wrap.
Mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSHs) are commonly found in food packaging printing inks. They can migrate into packaged food, posing risks to human health.
In this study, a bio-based coating ...using sugarcane fibre (SF), anionic starch (AS), nanofibrated cellulose (NFC), and chitosan (CTS) is developed and applied to the internal surface of a food packaging white cardboard. The coating is investigated for its efficiency in reducing MOSH migration into dry food simulants (Porapak). The MOSH adsorption capacity of coated white cardboard is 4.6 and 14 times greater than those of uncoated and polythene (PE)-coated versions, respectively. Hence, the surface of SF-AS-NFC-CTS coating functions as a sponge and protective screen, adsorbing and hindering significant amounts of MOSH and subsequently slowing and reducing the migration of MOSH to food.
Meanwhile, the basic properties, such as mechanical properties, air permeability (barrier property to MOSH), oil resistance, thermal stability, and antibacterial efficacy, of the coated cardboard for food packaging are all improved. Therefore, this study can offer a promising solution to food contamination concerns for food packaging.
•SF-AS-NFC-CTS coating improves the gas barrier properties of white cardboard.•SF-AS-NFC-CTS coating enhances the antibacterial performance of the cardboard.•SF-AS-NFC-CTS exhibits excellent adsorption and slow discharge effect on MOSH.•SF-AS-NFC-CTS coating improved gas–oil barrier characteristics.
