title: Innovative composite films of chitosan, methylcellulose, and nanoparticles.
abstract: Plastic is readily available and inexpensive, so it is becoming the main material for packaging. Unfortunately plastics do not biodegrade and, if reduced in small pieces, contaminate soil and waterways. In the present work, natural films composed of chitosan, methylcellulose, and silica (SiO(2)) nanoparticles (NPs) were developed as new packaging materials. The effect of the incorporation of NPs into the polymeric film matrix was evaluated. An excellent improvement of the mechanical properties was obtained for nanostructured films with a composition of CH:MC 50:50 and NPs 1% w/v that make these materials able to replace plastics and derivatives, reducing environmental pollution.
authors.affiliation: CNBS Centro Nanobiotecnologie Sardegna, Dipartimento di Scienze Zootecniche, Univ di Sassari, via De Nicola 9, 07100 Sassari, Italy. mura.stefania@gmail.com
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mura
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Corrias
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stara
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piccinini
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Secchi
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marongiu
authors.forename: Plinio
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Innocenzi
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Irudayaraj
authors.forename: Gian F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Greppi
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D048271:Chitosan; D018857:Food Packaging / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008747:Methylcellulose; D053758:Nanoparticles; D010316:Particle Size; D010539:Permeability; D011108:Polymers; D012995:Solubility; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013718:Tensile Strength
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers; D008747:Methylcellulose; D048271:Chitosan