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Development of antimicrobial PCL/nanoclay nanocomposite films with enhanced mechanical and water vapor barrier properties for packaging applications

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Abstract

Biodegradable PCL-base d nanocomposites were successfully prepared by melt mixing of the poly(ε-caprolactone) with two organo-modified Algerian montmorillonites by the cation exchange reactions with two quaternary ammonium surfactants, namely hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (OMMT1) and hexadecyl pyridinium chloride (OMMT2), with the aim to elaborate antimicrobial PCL/nanoclay composite films with enhanced properties for food packaging applications. PCL-based nanocomposite films containing either OMMT1 or OMMT2 organoclays have displayed mainly intercalated structures as attested by X-ray diffraction patterns and transmission electron microscope images. Glass transition (T g) and melting (T m) temperatures of these materials, evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry analysis, were remained almost unchanged. In addition, their thermal stabilities, observed by thermogravimetric analysis, were slightly decreased as compared to the neat PCL matrix. The antibacterial performance of PCL/OMMT1 and PCL/OMMT2 composite films against Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive) and Escherichia coli (Gram-negative) was assessed by counting the number of bacteria in the sample. A significant decrease in the number of bacteria is noticed after the addition of 3 wt% of OMMT to the matrix, where a maximum of 94 % of growth inhibition can be reached. Furthermore, these PCL/OMMT nanocomposites have showed an interesting improvement in their several properties that are strategically studied in packaging applications. The Young modulus has increased by 36 and 22 % for (PCL/OMMT1) and (PCL/OMMT2), respectively. Also, the water vapor permeability has decreased by 56 % for (PCL/OMMT1) and 48 % for (PCL/OMMT2).

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the microbiology laboratory of Laboratories Merinal SARL in Algeria for provision of the research facilities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Université des Sciences et de la Technologie Houari Boumediene, Laboratoire des Matériaux Polymères, Département de chimie macromoléculaire, Faculté de Chimie, BP 32, El Alia, 16111, Alger, Algérie

    Farida Yahiaoui, Fayçal Benhacine, Hafida Ferfera-Harrar & Assia Siham Hadj-Hamou

  2. Université A. MIRA, Faculté de Technologie, Laboratoire des Matériaux Organiques (LMO), Route de Targa Ouzemour, 06000, Béjaïa, Algérie

    Abderahmane Habi

  3. Université de Bretagne Sud, Laboratoire d’Ingénierie des Matériaux de Bretagne, Equipe E2PIC, Rue de Saint Maudé, 56321, Lorient Cedex, France

    Yves Grohens

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  1. Farida Yahiaoui
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  2. Fayçal Benhacine
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  3. Hafida Ferfera-Harrar
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Correspondence to Assia Siham Hadj-Hamou.

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Yahiaoui, F., Benhacine, F., Ferfera-Harrar, H. et al. Development of antimicrobial PCL/nanoclay nanocomposite films with enhanced mechanical and water vapor barrier properties for packaging applications. Polym. Bull. 72, 235–254 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00289-014-1269-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00289-014-1269-0

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