title: Biocomposite cellulose-alginate films: promising packaging materials.
abstract: Biocomposite films based on cellulose and alginate were produced using unmodified birch pulp, microfibrillated cellulose (MFC), nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) and birch pulp derivate, nanofibrillated anionic dicarboxylic acid cellulose (DCC), having widths of fibres ranging from 19.0 μm to 25 nm as cellulose fibre materials. Ionically cross-linked biocomposites were produced using Ca(2+) cross-linking. Addition of micro- and nanocelluloses as a reinforcement increased the mechanical properties of the alginate films remarkably, e.g. addition of 15% of NFC increased a tensile strength of the film from 70.02 to 97.97 MPa. After ionic cross-linking, the tensile strength of the film containing 10% of DCC was increased from 69.63 to 125.31 MPa. The biocomposite films showed excellent grease barrier properties and reduced water vapour permeability (WVP) after the addition of cellulose fibres, except when unmodified birch pulp was used.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 3000, FI-90014, Finland.
authors.forename: Juho Antti
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Sirviö
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 3000, FI-90014, Finland.
authors.forename: Aleksi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kolehmainen
authors.affiliation: Fibre and Particle Engineering Laboratory, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 4300, FI-90014, Finland.
authors.forename: Henrikki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liimatainen
authors.affiliation: Fibre and Particle Engineering Laboratory, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 4300, FI-90014, Finland.
authors.forename: Jouko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Niinimäki
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 3000, FI-90014, Finland. Electronic address: osmo.hormi@oulu.fi.
authors.forename: Osmo E O
authors.initials: OE
authors.lastname: Hormi
mesh_terms: D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry*; D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry*; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D010539:Permeability; D013718:Tensile Strength
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D002482:Cellulose
keywords: Alginate; Biocomposite; Cellulose; Ionic cross-linking; Nanocellulose; Reinforcement