Understanding the effects of copolymerized cellulose nanofibers and diatomite nanocomposite on blend chitosan films

Factors influencing the antimicrobial mechanism of chitosan action and its derivatives: A review

Chitosan, a versatile amino polysaccharide biopolymer derived from chitin, exhibits broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against various pathogenic microorganisms, including gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, as well as fungi. Due to its ubiquitous use in medications, food, cosmetics, chemicals, and crops, it is an effective antibacterial agent. However, the antimicrobial performance of chitosan is influenced by multiple factors, which have been extensively investigated and reported in the literature. The goal of this review paper is to present a thorough grasp of the mechanisms of action and determining variables of chitosan and its derivatives' antibacterial activity. The article begins by providing a brief background on chitosan and its antimicrobial properties, followed by the importance of understanding the mechanism of action and factors influencing its activity".

Degradable chitosan-based bioplastic packaging: Design, preparation and applications

Food packaging is an essential part of food transportation, storage and preservation. Biodegradable biopolymers are a significant direction for the future development of food packaging materials. As a natural biological polysaccharide, chitosan has been widely concerned by researchers in the field of food packaging due to its excellent film-forming property, good antibacterial property and designability. Thus, the application research of chitosan-based food packaging films, coatings and aerogels has been greatly developed. In this review, recent advances on chitosan-based food packaging materials are summarized. Firstly, the development background of chitosan-based packaging materials was described, and then chitosan itself was introduced. In addition, the design, preparation and applications of films, coatings and aerogels in chitosan-based packaging for food preservation were discussed, and the advantages and disadvantages of each research in the development of chitosan-based packaging materials were analyzed. Finally, the application prospects, challenges and suggestions for solving the problems of chitosan-based packaging are summarized and prospected.

Biomimetic Diatom Biosilica and Its Potential for Biomedical Applications and Prospects: A Review

Diatom biosilica is an important natural source of porous silica, with three-dimensional ordered and nanopatterned structures referred to as frustules. The unique features of diatom frustules, such as their high specific surface area, thermal stability, biocompatibility, and adaptable surface chemistry, render diatoms valuable materials for high value-added applications. These attributes make diatoms an exceptional cost-effective raw material for industrial use. The functionalization of diatom biosilica surface improves its biophysical properties and increases the potential applications. This review focuses on the potential uses of diatom biosilica including traditional approaches and recent progress in biomedical applications. Not only well-studied drug delivery systems but also promising uses on bone regeneration and wound healing are covered. Furthermore, considerable aspects and possible future directions for the use of diatom biosilica materials are proposed to develop biomedical applications and merit further exploration.

Green interconnected network structure of chitosan-microcrystalline cellulose-lignin biopolymer film for active packaging applications

As an excellent alternative to petroleum-based food packaging materials, a novel green hybrid composite film with an excellent interconnected network structure was successfully fabricated by integrating chitosan (chi), microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), and lignin nanoparticles (LNP), including the desired amount of plasticizer glycerol (gly). Overall, 36 combinations were developed and investigated for superior biocomposite film formation. Among the various concentration ratios, the 40:35:25 chi-MCC-gly film provided well-organized film formation, good physicochemical properties, mechanical stability, efficient water contact angle, reduced water solubility, and lower water vapor permeability (11.43 ± 0.55 × 10-11 g.m-1.s-1.Pa-1). The performance of the chi-MCC-gly film further enhanced by the homogeneous incorporation of ∼100 nm LNP. With 1 % LNP addition, the tensile strength of the film increased (28.09 MPa, 47.10 % increase) and the water vapor permeability reached a minimum of 11.43 × 10-11 g.m-1.s-1.Pa-1, which proved the impact of LNP in composite films. Moreover, the films showed excellent resistance to thermal shrinkage even at 100 °C and exhibited nearly 100 % UV blocking efficiency at higher LNP concentrations. Interestingly, the green composite films extended the shelf life of freshly cut cherry tomatoes to seven days without spoilage. Overall, the facile synthesis of strong, insoluble, UV-blocking, and thermally stable green composite films realized for food packaging applications.

Understanding the effects of chitosan, chia mucilage, levan based composite coatings on the shelf life of sweet cherry

Sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) fruits are prone to quality and quantity loss in shelf-life conditions and cold storage due to their short post-harvest life. Until now efforts have been made to extend the shelf life of the sweet cherry. However, an efficient and commercially scalable process remains elusive. To contribute to this challenge, here in this study, biobased composite coatings consisting of chitosan, mucilage, and levan, were applied on sweet cherry fruits and tested for postharvest parameters in both market and cold storage conditions. Results demonstrated that the shelf life of sweet cherries can be extended until the 30^th day while retaining important post-harvest properties like decreased weight loss, fungal deterioration, increased stem removal force, total flavonoid, l-ascorbic acid, and oxalic acid. Given the cost-effectiveness of the polymers used, the findings of this study indicate the feasibility of extending the shelf-life of sweet cherries on a larger scale.

Biodegradable hybrid biopolymer film based on carboxy methyl cellulose and selenium nanoparticles with antifungal properties to enhance grapes shelf life

In the current study, cellulose was extracted from sugarcane bagasse and further converted into carboxy methyl cellulose. The morphological, chemical, and structural characterization of synthesizeed carboxy methyl cellulose was performed. Further, the biopolymer was fabricated with mycogenic selenium nanoparticles and used to develop the biopolymer films. The developed biopolymer films were examined for the fruit shelf life stability, antifungal activity, and biodegradation potential. The results revealed that grapes wrapped with biofilms showed enhanced shelf life of fruit at all storage time intervals. The study also witnesses the antifungal activity of biopolymer films with a remarkable inhibitory action on the spores of Fusarium oxysporum and Sclerospora graminicola phytopathogens. Lastly, the biopolymer films were significantly degradable in the soil within two weeks of incubation. Thus, the developed biopolymer films exhibit multifaceted properties that can be used as an alternative to synthetic plastics for fruit packaging and also helps in protecting against fungal contaminants during storage with naturally degradable potential.

Study on cellulose nanofibers/aramid fibers lithium-ion battery separators by the heterogeneous preparation method

In this study, a heat-resistant and high-wettability lithium-ion batteries separator (PI-CPM-PI) composed of cellulose nanofibers (CNF) and aramid fibers (PMIA chopped fiber/PPTA pulp) with the reinforced concrete structure was fabricated via a traditional heterogeneous paper-making process. CNF played crucial roles in optimizing the pore structure and improving the wettability of PI-CPM-PI separator. The effects of composition on separator properties were investigated and the results indicated that the optimal compositions were 0.5 wt% CNF, 0.5 wt% PMIA chopped fiber/PPTA pulp (ratio of 5:5), 0.05 wt% diatomite and 1.5 wt% polyimide. Relevant tests demonstrated that the performance advantages of PI-CPM-PI separators were exhibited at the wettability and thermal stability compared to the commercial separator (PP). Additionally, batteries assembled with PI-CPM-PI separators showed excellent electrochemical and cycling performance (ionic conductivity of 1.041 mS.cm^-1, the first discharge capacity of 158.2 mAh.g^-1 at 0.2C and capacity retention ratio of 99.76 % after 100 cycles).

Trends and challenges in the development of bio-based barrier coating materials for paper/cardboard food packaging; a review

Currently, petroleum-based synthetic plastics are used as a key barrier material in the paper-based packaging of several food and nonfood goods. This widespread usage of plastic as a barrier lining is not only harmful to human and marine health, but it is also polluting the ecosystem. Researchers and food manufacturers are focused on biobased alternatives because of its numerous advantages, including biodegradability, biocompatibility, non-toxicity, and structural flexibility. When used alone or in composites/multilayers, these biobased alternatives provide strong barrier qualities against grease, oxygen, microbes, air, and water. According to the most recent literature reports, biobased polymers for barrier coatings are having difficulty breaking into the business. Technological breakthroughs in the field of bioplastic production and application are rapidly evolving, proffering new options for academics and industry to collaborate and develop sustainable packaging solutions. Existing techniques, such as multilayer coating of nanocomposites, can be improved further by designing them in a more systematic manner to attain the best barrier qualities. Modified nanocellulose, lignin nanoparticles, and bio-polyester are among the most promising future candidates for nanocomposite-based packaging films with high barrier qualities. In this review, the state-of-art and research advancements made in biobased polymeric alternatives such as paper and board barrier coating are summarized. Finally, the existing limitations and potential future development prospects for these biobased polymers as barrier materials are reviewed.

Assessment of Electrothermal Pretreatment of Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) Peels for Producing Cellulose Fibers

Agroindustrial wastes are renewable sources and the most promising sustainable alternative to lignocellulosic biomass for cellulose production. This study assessed the electrothermal pretreatment of rambutan peel (RP) for producing cellulose fibers. The pretreatment was carried out by Ohmic heating at a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1:10 (w/v) in a water/ethanol (1:1, v/v) mixture as the electrical transmission medium at 60 ± 1 °C for different holding times (15, 30, and 60 min). Ohmic heating did not significantly influence the total fiber yield for the various holding times. However, the compositions of the samples in terms of extractives, lignin, hemicellulose, and α-cellulose content were significantly influenced. In addition, the electrothermal pretreatment method reduced the bleaching time of RP by 25%. The pretreated fibers were thermally stable up to 240 °C. Ohmic heating pretreatment times of 15 and 30 min were found most promising, reducing the required bleaching chemicals and increasing the α-cellulose yield. The pretreated bleached cellulose fibers had similar properties to nontreated bleached fibers and could be efficiently processed into stable gels of strong shear-thinning behavior with potential application as rheology modifiers in food products. Our results demonstrate that rambutan peel could serve as a promising sustainable alternative to woody biomass for cellulose production. Ohmic heating meets the requirements for industrial applications as it is eco-friendly, improves the efficiency and energy consumption in fiber processing, and could as well be included in the processing of similar food wastes.