Characteristic Improvement of a Carrageenan-Based Bionanocomposite Polymer Film Containing Montmorillonite as Food Packaging through the Addition of Silver and Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles

Recent Progress of Carrageenan-Based Composite Films in Active and Intelligent Food Packaging Applications

Recently, as concerns about petrochemical-derived polymers increase, interest in biopolymer-based materials is increasing. Undoubtedly, biopolymers are a better alternative to solve the problem of synthetic polymer-based plastics for packaging purposes. There are various types of biopolymers in nature, and mostly polysaccharides are used in this regard. Carrageenan is a hydrophilic polysaccharide extracted from red algae and has recently attracted great interest in the development of food packaging films. Carrageenan is known for its excellent film-forming properties, high compatibility and good carrier properties. Carrageenan is readily available and low cost, making it a good candidate as a polymer matrix base material for active and intelligent food packaging films. The carrageenan-based packaging film lacks mechanical, barrier, and functional properties. Thus, the physical and functional properties of carrageenan-based films can be enhanced by blending this biopolymer with functional compounds and nanofillers. Various types of bioactive ingredients, such as nanoparticles, natural extracts, colorants, and essential oils, have been incorporated into the carrageenan-based film. Carrageenan-based functional packaging film was found to be useful for extending the shelf life of packaged foods and tracking spoilage. Recently, there has been plenty of research work published on the potential of carrageenan-based packaging film. Therefore, this review discusses recent advances in carrageenan-based films for applications in food packaging. The preparation and properties of carrageenan-based packaging films were discussed, as well as their application in real-time food packaging. The latest discussion on the potential of carrageenan as an alternative to traditionally used synthetic plastics may be helpful for further research in this field.

Development of Flexible Medical Electrodes Using Carrageenan-Based Bioplastics with the Addition of Conductive Hybrid Materials Graphite and Silver Nanoparticles

Electrodes are crucial in medical devices, specifically health monitoring devices for biopotential measurements such as electrocardiography, electromyography (EMG), and electroencephalography. The commonly used rigid electrodes have limitations in their skin-electrode contact quality since they cannot conform to the skin's surface area and body contours. Flexible electrodes have been developed to better conform to the body's surface contours, improving ion transfer and minimizing motion artifacts, thereby enhancing the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Bioplastic substrates based on carrageenan have been chosen for their safety, abundance, flexibility, and ease of customization. Hybrid materials of graphite and silver nanoparticles (graphite-AgNPs) exhibit high electron capacitance, low charge transfer resistance, and superior surface catalytic activity. These make them ideal as conductive fillers for bioplastics to achieve good electrical characteristics as electrodes. The effect of the graphite-AgNP filler concentration, graphite particle size, and flexible electrode thickness was evaluated to assess their impact on the electrical and mechanical properties of the fabricated flexible electrodes. The graphite-AgNP fillers were incorporated into a bioplastic matrix, resulting in flexible electrodes with improved conductivity with increasing percentages of graphite-AgNP at the expense of flexibility. The thickness of the flexible electrode was varied to evaluate its effect on the conductivity. A graphite size reduction was performed to improve the electrical properties while maintaining the mechanical properties. The most optimal variation of flexible electrodes with desirable electrical and mechanical properties was achieved by adding 25% graphite-AgNP to the carrageenan, using graphite particles of 400-700 nm, and using the thinnest electrode. The optimized electrode also exhibited an improved SNR value in EMG signal measurements compared to conventional Ag/AgCl electrodes. This research presents a novel approach to developing environmentally friendly, customizable, and flexible electrodes for medical applications.