Advances in Biodegradable Polymeric Materials with Applications in the Food Industry II

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 September 2024 | Viewed by 1693

Special Issue Editors


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Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Science Technology, Valahia University of Targoviste, 13 Sinaia Alley, 130004 Targoviste, Romania
Interests: applied chemistry; analytical instrumental analysis; food analysis; advanced materials with ecological footprint; circular economy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Sciences and Advanced Technologies Department, Faculty of Sciences and Arts, Valahia University of Targoviste, 13 Sinaia Alley, 130004 Targoviste, Romania
Interests: chemistry; analytical chemistry; nanomaterials; bio based materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Applications of polymers in the food industry are diverse, and could refer to food packaging, food processing, or other activities within this production chain. In recent decades, the use of petroleum-based plastics has led to a number of environmental problems due to the low recycling–reuse of these polymer materials, as well as their long half-life.

Alternatives to fossil-based polymers that are currently under research and innovation include bio-based polymers that can degrade much more easily after use. According to their composition, they may be classified into the following categories: (i) polymers incorporating biomass; (ii) polymers synthesized from bio-derived monomers; and (iii) biopolymers produced by living organisms.

There is a close relationship between the global efforts to create new polymeric materials for the high demand of the food industry and the attempt to maintain and/or improve the quality within the field. In this respect, restrictive regulations translate into the need for physical, thermal, mechanical, and chemical convenient properties which must be characterized through advanced instrumental techniques in order to correlate the obtained values towards the optimal design and production within the circularity frameworks of sustainable industries.

Dr. Cristina Mihaela Nicolescu
Dr. Marius Bumbac
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • biopolymers
  • food packaging
  • bio-based composites
  • biodegradability
  • advanced techniques for polymeric material characterization

Published Papers (2 papers)

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15 pages, 4131 KiB  
Article
Eco-Friendly Poly (Butylene Adipate-co-Terephthalate) Coated Bi-Layered Films: An Approach to Enhance Mechanical and Barrier Properties
by Raja Venkatesan, Krishnapandi Alagumalai, Alexandre A. Vetcher, Bandar Ali Al-Asbahi and Seong-Cheol Kim
Polymers 2024, 16(9), 1283; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16091283 - 3 May 2024
Viewed by 412
Abstract
In this research work, a coated paper was prepared with poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) film to explore its use in eco-friendly food packaging. The paper was coated with PBAT film for packaging using hot pressing, a production method currently employed in the packaging [...] Read more.
In this research work, a coated paper was prepared with poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) film to explore its use in eco-friendly food packaging. The paper was coated with PBAT film for packaging using hot pressing, a production method currently employed in the packaging industry. The coated papers were evaluated for their structural, mechanical, thermal, and barrier properties. The structural morphology and chemical analysis of the coated paper confirmed the consistent formation of PBAT bi-layered on paper surfaces. Surface coating with PBAT film increased the water resistance of the paper samples, as demonstrated by tests of barrier characteristics, including the water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), oxygen transmission rate (OTR), and water contact angle (WCA) of water drops. The transmission rate of the clean paper was 2010.40 cc m−2 per 24 h for OTR and 110.24 g m−2 per 24 h for WVTR. If the PBAT-film was coated, the value decreased to 91.79 g m−2 per 24 h and 992.86 cc m−2 per 24 h. The hydrophobic nature of PBAT, confirmed by WCA measurements, contributed to the enhanced water resistance of PBAT-coated paper. This result presents an improved PBAT-coated paper material, eliminating the need for adhesives and allowing for the fabrication of bi-layered packaging. Full article
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22 pages, 5039 KiB  
Article
Synthesis of Water-Dispersible Poly(dimethylsiloxane) and Its Potential Application in the Paper Coating Industry as an Alternative for PFAS-Coated Paper and Single-Use Plastics
by Syeda Shamila Hamdani, Hazem M. Elkholy, Alexandra Alford, Kang Jackson, Muhammad Naveed, Ian Wyman, Yun Wang, Kecheng Li, Syed W. Haider and Muhammad Rabnawaz
Polymers 2024, 16(7), 1006; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16071006 - 7 Apr 2024
Viewed by 982
Abstract
Polyethylene-, polyvinylidene chloride-, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance-coated paper generate microplastics or fluorochemicals in the environment. Here, we report an approach for the development of oil-resistant papers using an environmentally friendly, fluorine-free, water-dispersible poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) coating on kraft paper. Carboxylic-functionalized PDMS (PDMS-COOH) was [...] Read more.
Polyethylene-, polyvinylidene chloride-, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance-coated paper generate microplastics or fluorochemicals in the environment. Here, we report an approach for the development of oil-resistant papers using an environmentally friendly, fluorine-free, water-dispersible poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) coating on kraft paper. Carboxylic-functionalized PDMS (PDMS-COOH) was synthesized and subsequently neutralized with ammonium bicarbonate to obtain a waterborne emulsion, which was then coated onto kraft paper. The water resistance of the coated paper was determined via Cobb60 measurements. The Cobb60 value was reduced to 2.70 ± 0.14 g/m2 as compared to 87.6 ± 5.1 g/m2 for uncoated paper, suggesting a remarkable improvement in water resistance. Similarly, oil resistance was found to be 12/12 on the kit test scale versus 0/12 for uncoated paper. In addition, the coated paper retained 70–90% of its inherent mechanical properties, and more importantly, the coated paper was recycled via pulp recovery using a standard protocol with a 91.1% yield. Full article
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