Multilayer Film Comprising Polybutylene Adipate Terephthalate and Cellulose Nanocrystals with High Barrier and Compostable Properties
Beatriz Melendez-Rodriguez,
Cristina Prieto,
Maria Pardo-Figuerez,
Inmaculada Angulo,
Ana I. Bourbon,
Isabel R. Amado,
Miguel A. Cerqueira,
Lorenzo M. Pastrana,
Loic Hugues Gilles Hilliou,
António A. Vicente,
Luis Cabedo,
Jose M. Lagaron
Affiliations
Beatriz Melendez-Rodriguez
Novel Materials and Nanotechnology Group, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA), Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), Calle Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benllonch 7, 46980 Valencia, Spain
Cristina Prieto
Novel Materials and Nanotechnology Group, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA), Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), Calle Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benllonch 7, 46980 Valencia, Spain
Maria Pardo-Figuerez
Novel Materials and Nanotechnology Group, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA), Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), Calle Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benllonch 7, 46980 Valencia, Spain
Inmaculada Angulo
Gaiker Technological Centre, Department of Plastics and Composites, Parque Tecnológico Edificio 202, 48170 Zamudio, Spain
Ana I. Bourbon
International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL), Av. Mestre José Veiga s/n, 4715-330 Braga, Portugal
Isabel R. Amado
International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL), Av. Mestre José Veiga s/n, 4715-330 Braga, Portugal
Miguel A. Cerqueira
International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL), Av. Mestre José Veiga s/n, 4715-330 Braga, Portugal
Lorenzo M. Pastrana
International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL), Av. Mestre José Veiga s/n, 4715-330 Braga, Portugal
Loic Hugues Gilles Hilliou
IPC/I3N, Department Polymer Engineering, Campus de Azurém, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal
António A. Vicente
Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
Luis Cabedo
Polymers and Advanced Materials Group (PIMA), School of Technology and Experimental Sciences, Universitat Jaume I (UJI), Avenida de Vicent Sos Baynat s/n, 12071 Castellón, Spain
Jose M. Lagaron
Novel Materials and Nanotechnology Group, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA), Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), Calle Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benllonch 7, 46980 Valencia, Spain
In the present study, a multilayer, high-barrier, thin blown film based on a polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT) blend with polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), and composed of four layers including a cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) barrier layer and an electrospun poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) hot-tack layer, was characterized in terms of the surface roughness, surface tension, migration, mechanical and peel performance, barrier properties, and disintegration rate. The results showed that the film exhibited a smooth surface. The overall migration tests showed that the material is suitable to be used as a food contact layer. The addition of the CNC interlayer had a significant effect on the mechanical properties of the system, drastically reducing the elongation at break and, thus, the flexibility of the material. The film containing CNCs and electrospun PHBV hot-tack interlayers exhibited firm but not strong adhesion. However, the multilayer was a good barrier to water vapor (2.4 ± 0.1 × 10−12 kg·m−2·s−1·Pa−1), and especially to oxygen (0.5 ± 0.3 × 10−15 m3·m−2·s−1·Pa−1), the permeance of which was reduced by up to 90% when the CNC layer was added. The multilayer system disintegrated completely in 60 days. All in all, the multilayer system developed resulted in a fully compostable structure with significant potential for use in high-barrier food packaging applications.
