Karthik S.K. presented on nanocomposites and their applications in food packaging. The presentation covered the history of nanocomposites, definitions of composites and nanocomposites, methods for preparing polymer nanocomposites, various types of nanocomposites including clay, polymer, biobased, starch, cellulose, and protein nanocomposites. The presentation discussed characterization techniques for nanocomposites and concluded that nanocomposites can improve mechanical, barrier and antimicrobial properties of food packaging materials.

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2. Presented By:
KARTHIK S.K.
M.Tech (Agril. Engg.)
I.D: PALB 3310
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FIRST SEMINAR
Course Teacher
Dr. B Ranganna
Dept. of Agricultural Engineering

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Content
History and Introduction
Nanocomposite and Composite material
Preparation of Polymer Nanocomposite
Classifications of Nanocomposite
Formation and Structural characterization of Nanocomposite
Nanocomposites in Food Packaging
• Clay nanocomposite
• Polymer nanocomposite
• Bio-based nanocomposite
• Starch nanocomposite
• Cellulose nanocomposites
• Protein nanocomposites
Conclusion
References
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5. • Nanoparticles were used in the glazes on Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)
ceramics.
• Carbon black-reinforced rubber: 1900s as a reinforcing agent in
automobile tires
• 1980s: Toyota introduced Nylon - the initial commercial Nano
composites.
• 1988: Hitachi Metals develops first Nano-magnetic compound,
Finemet, used to fabricate low-loss transformers.
• 1998: Inframat LLC patents Nanox 2613 thermal spray, the first
commercial ceramic Nano composites.
• 2005: U.S. National Academies Keck FUTURES initiative awards grant
to Yale/University of Texas team to develop Nano-bio composite
solar cells. (http://www.bccresearch.com)
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PACKAGING
• Scientific method of enclosing food material/goods in a
container and it ensure the delivery of goods to the
ultimate consumer in the best condition indented for
their use. (Robertson, G.L., 2005)
• Modern packaging has made great advances as results
of global trends and consumer preferences.
• Nanotechnology can address all these requirements
and extend and implement the principal packaging
functions – containment, protection and preservation,
marketing and communications.
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• Applications of polymer nanotechnology can provide
new food packaging materials with improved
mechanical, barrier and antimicrobial properties,
together with Nano-sensors for tracing and monitoring
the condition of food during transport and storage.
• The latest innovations in food packaging, using
improved, active and smart nanotechnology.
• The limits for the development of the new polymer
nanomaterial's that have the potential to completely
transform the food packaging industry.
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Cont….
Dept. of Agricultural Engineering

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“A composite is a combination of two or more
different materials that are mixed in an effort to
blend the best properties of both.”
A Nano composite is a composite material, in
which one of the components has at least one
dimension that is around 10-9 m.
or
“ A Nano composite is a multiphase solid
material where one of the phases has one, two or three
dimensions of less than 100 nm, or structure having
Nano-scale repeat distance between the different
phases that make up the material”.

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Mechanically the term nanocomposites are
differ from conventional composites due to the
exceptionally high surface to volume ratio of the
reinforcing and/or its exceptionally high aspect ratio.
Dept. of Agricultural Engineering

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GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
 Consist of one or more discontinuous phases
of distributed in one continuous phase.
 Continuous phase is called “matrix”, whereas
discontinuous phase is called “filler or
reinforcement”.

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COMPOSITE MATERIAL
Composite materials are solid ones with multiple
phase, which is a combination of two or more materials
with different physical and chemical properties.
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Laminated composites
Fibrous composites
Particulate composites
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Surface to volume ratio

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Composite filler ranges and
particle size
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Macro Nano

16. Methods for
Preparing
Nanomaterials
Hydrothermal
Synthesis
Sol–Gel
Synthesis
High-Energy
Ball Milling
Processes
Microwave
Synthesis
Polymerized
Complex
Method
Chemical
Vapour
Deposition
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In Situ Intercalative Polymerization
 Polymer is formed (initiation of polymerization by
heating or radiation or by diffusion) between the layers
by swelling the layer hosts within the liquid monomer or
monomer solution.
Melt Intercalation
 This method, an environmentally kind one, uses all types
of polymers as well as being compatible with practicing
polymer industrial processes such as injection molding,
being the most popular procedure to prepare
nanocomposites for industrial applications.
 In this method, polymers and layered hosts are annealed
above the softening point of the polymer .
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Preparation of Polymer Nanocomposite

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Template Synthesis
 In situ layered double hydroxide (LDHs) based
nanocomposites can be obtained in a template of
polymer aqueous solution for the formation of host layers
and usually employed for water- soluble polymers.
Intercalation of Prepolymer From Solution
 The layered host is to be swelled in a solvent (water,
toluene, etc.) followed by its mixture with polymer or
prepolymer, whereby the chains of the latter intercalate
while displacing the solvents used for swelling.
 Polymer layered nanocomposites results when the
solvent within the interlayer is removed.
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Cont……

19. Classification of nanocomposites
Nano
composites
Polymer
based
Non polymer
based
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Dept. of Agricultural Engineering

20. Nanocomposites Formation
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Structure Characterization
• Nanocomposite structure characterization include particle
dispersion, changes in the bulk matrix and the nature of the
particle-polymer interface.
• Structure elucidation is the advances in characterization
techniques.
• Most common techniques used to probe nancomposite
structures
– X-ray diffraction (XRD)
– Wide angle (WAXS) and Small angle (SAXS)
– Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
– Transmission electron microscopy (TEM)
– Infrared spectroscopy (IR) and
– Atomic force microscopy (AFM)
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• TEM determined the polymer structure, void size
and shape, filler size, shape and distribution, local
crystality and crystal size.
• Polarized light microscopy: accessed the changes in
polymer matrix.
• SEM : assess the structure property relations,
especially for toughness.
• The degree of intercalation, exfoliation and
dispersion has been traditionally characterized by
XRD.
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Cont……

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Nanocomposites in Food Packaging
 Clay nanocomposite
 Polymer nanocomposite
 Bio-based nanocomposite
 Starch nanocomposite
 Cellulose nanocomposites
 Protein nanocomposites

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• Clay platelets have high surface area
(750 m2/g) and high aspect ratio (100 to 200).
• Processing at high shear or sonication techniques are
necessary to de-aggregate or exfoliate the clusters and
increase the surface area exposed to the polymer.
• Clay aggregates must be exfoliated into single platelets
and distributed homogeneously throughout the polymer
phase to take full advantage of nanoclays high surface
area.
• Dispersion of clay layers into the polymer is affected by
mismatches between the hydrophobic/hydrophilic
character of polymers and clays.
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Clay Nanocomposite

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• Polymers are typically hydrophobic and clays are
hydrophilic.
• Fatty acid used for chemically modified the clay platelets.
Lattice-based thermodynamic model:
• That examines the entropic and enthalpic contributions
during the formation of a polymer layered-silicate
nanocomposite.
• Traditional composite structures contain large quantities
of filler(apox. 60% vol), but in nanocomposite dramatic
changes in properties are possible at very low loads (<2%
vol).
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Cont……

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• Exfoliated nanoclays are effective at improving gas
barrier properties of polymeric materials.
Cont……

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Polymer Nanocomposite
• Polymer nanocomposites (PNC) consist
of polymer or copolymer having nanoparticles or
nanofillers dispersed in the polymer matrix.
• These may be of different shape (e.g., platelets, fibres,
spheroids), but at least one dimension must be in the
range of 1–50 nm.
• These PNC's belong to the category of multi-phase
systems (MPS)
• These systems require controlled mixing/compounding,
stabilization of the achieved dispersion, orientation of
the dispersed phase.
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29. • Nanocomposites exhibit increased barrier properties,
increased mechanical strength and improved heat
resistance compared to their neat polymers and
conventional composites.
• The use of Nano sized montmorillonite clay to improve
mechanical and thermal properties of nylon.
• When used in food packaging, nanocomposite are better
able to withstand the stress of thermal food processing,
transportation, storage and also reduce the material
usage.
• Nanoclays montmorillonite (MMT) and kaolinite, carbon
nanotubes and graphene Nano sheets are used as particle
filler materials.
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Cont……

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Characterization of PNC’s
Experimental techniques used for the
characterization of nanocomposites include
• NMR (Nuclear magnetic resources) for materials
behaviour: Gives greater insight into the morphology,
surface chemistry, and to a very limited extent the
quantification of the level of exfoliation in polymer
nanocomposites
• X-ray diffraction XRD
• Transmission electron microscopy (TEM): Allows a
qualitative understanding of the internal structure, spatial
distribution of the various phases, and direct visualization
of defect structure
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

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• Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC): To understand the
nature of crystallization taking place in the matrix.
• FTIR: To detect functional groups and understand the
structure of the nanocomposites
• Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA): Response of a
material to oscillatory deformation as a function of
temperature, giving storage modulus corresponds to
elastic response to deformation
• Loss modulus: Corresponds to plastic response to
deformation.
• Resonance Raman spectroscopy: For structural studies
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Cont……

32. Dept. of Agricultural Engineering
Biobased Nanocomposite
• Bio polymer include
– plant-derived materials (starch, cellulose other
polysaccharides, proteins)
– animal products (Proteins, polysaccharides),
– microbial products (Poly hydroxy butyrate) and
– polymers synthesized chemically from naturally
derived
– monomers (poly lactic acid)
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• For packaging applications, biopolymers present
relatively poor mechanical and barrier properties
especially moisture barrier properties due to the
hydrophilic nature of biopolymers.
• Biopolymer-layered silicate nanocomposites are
improved physical properties including higher gas
barrier properties, tensile strength and thermal
stability.
• Chemically treated nanoscale silicate plates
incorporated with appropriate polymers can provide
effective barrier performance against water, gases and
grease.
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34. Edible coating
Paper boards
Egg trays
Carry bags
Wrapping films
Containers
Application of Biopolymers in food packaging
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Starch Nanocomposite
Starch has been extensively investigated as a choice
material for food packaging applications.
The addition of inorganic materials and synthetic polymers
has been proposed to improve water resistance of starch.
Starch-clay : Biodegradable nanocomposite investigated for
various applications including food packaging.
The young modulus and tensile strength increased with the
addition of MMT clay.
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36. Dept. of Agricultural Engineering
ZnO - carboxymethylcellulose(CMC) sodium
nanocomposite used as the filler in glycerol plasticized-
pea starch.
ZnO-CMC content varied from 0 to 5 wt%, tensile
strength increased form 3.9 to 9.8 MPa, elongation at
break was reduced form 42.2% to 25.8%, water vapour
permeability decrease significantly.
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Cont……

37. Dept. of Agricultural Engineering
Cellulose Nanocomposites
• Biopolymer nanocomposite from fruit and vegetable
purees and cellulose nanofibers(CNF) have been recently
studied as film-forming edible materials.
• Cellulose nanofibers were added to improve tensile
properties, water vapour permeability and glass transition
temperature of mango puree films.
• Tensile strength increased 4.09 to 8.76 MPa and with
increase in CNF concentration form 0 to 36% and also
improves water vapour barrier of the films 2.66 to 1.67
g.mm/kPa h m2.
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39. Dept. of Agricultural Engineering
• Cellulose derivative, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC)
to be a promising material for edible coatings or films for
packaging.
• Nanocomposites using chitosan (CS) as nanofiller in HPMC to
improve mechanical and film barrier properties.
• Tensile strength – 30.7 to 66.9 MPa
• Oxygen permeability – 182 to 142 cm3 µ /mm2 d-2 kPa-1
.
• HPMC-CS are potential material for food packaging
applications to extent the shelf life of foods.
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40. Dept. of Agricultural Engineering
Polylactic Acid (PLA) Nanocomposite
PLA has a sustainable, bio-compatible, biodegradable material
with good mechanical and optical properties.
The large scale use of PLA as packaging material is still
hampered.
Limitation for application of PLA in food packaging is its low
gas barrier properties.
Nanocomposites of amorphous PLA and chemically modified
kaolinite served good interaction between polymer and clay.
Which led to an increase in oxygen barrier properties of about
50%.
The combination of PLA and montmorillonite layered silicate
may result in a nanocomposite with barrier properties
suitable for food packaging application.
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41. Dept. of Agricultural Engineering
Protein Nanocomposites
Animal derive proteins
Casein, whey
protein, collagen,
egg white and fish
myo-fibrillar protein
Plant based proteins
Soybean protein,
zein (corn protein)
and wheat gluten
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• Compared with non-ionic polysaccharide films, protein
films have better oxygen barrier properties and lower
water vapour permeability due to their more polar nature
and more linear.
• Applying nanocomposites technology to improve the
properties of various proteins.

42. Dept. of Agricultural Engineering
Whey protein
Addition of small
amounts (<1 wt%) of
TiO2 nanoparticles
significantly increased
the tensile properties
of WPI film (1.69 to
2.38 MPa.
Soy protein and MMT
(hydrogen bond between –
NH and Si-O)
Young’s modulus increases
180.2 to 587.6 MPa with
increase in MMT content
from 0 to 20 wt%
Tensile strength of the
sheets improves form 8.77
to 15.43 MPa when MMT
content increased from 0%
to 16%.
Kaolin based barrier
coatings give useful
properties when
applied to paper and
paper board.
They are expected to
replace
fluorocarbons in
extruded polymer
barrier coating
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Soy protein Zein protein

43. Raw material Advantages Disadvantages
Zein  Good film forming
properties
Good tensile and
moisture barrier
properties
Brittle
Chitosan Antimicrobial and
antifungal activity
Good mechanical
properties
Low oxygen and
carbon dioxide
permeability
High water
sensitivity
Advantages And Disadvantages of Protein
Nanocomposite
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44. Dept. of Agricultural Engineering
Raw material Advantages Disadvantages
Whey protein
isolate
Desirable film forming
properties
Good oxygen barrier
low tensile
streangth
high water vapor
permeability
Gluten Low cost
Good oxygen barrier
Good film-forming
properties
High sensitivity to
moisture and brittle
Soy protein
isolate
Excellent film forming
ability
Low cost
Barrier properties
against oxygen permeation
Poor mechanical
properties
High water
sensitivity
Cont……
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45. Other Applications of Nanocomposite
• Electro catalyst in batteries for energy saving
• Light weight materials for less fuel consumption.
• In artificial joints, economically beneficial
• Carbon nanotubes most widely speaking nanomaterial which can be
made as nanocomposite fibers.
• Abrasion and wear applications
• Marine application
• Food packaging
• Fuel tanks
• Films
• Environmental protection
• Flame ability reaction
• Erosion and corrosion Applications
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Dept. of Agricultural Engineering
The application of nanocomposites promises to
expand the use of edible and biodegradable films that
reduce the packaging waste associated with
processed foods that supports the preservation of
fresh foods by extending their shelf life.
Nanocomposites are upcoming materials which
shows the great changes in all the industrial fields and
it is also going to be an economical barrier for
developing countries as a tool of Nanotechnology.
Conclusion
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Dept. of Agricultural Engineering
 AMIT ARORA AND PADUA, G.W., 2010, Review: Nanocomposites in
Food Packaging. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 75 (1): 43 -
49.
 HENRIETTE, M.C. DE AZEREDO., 2009, Review: Nanocomposites for
food packaging applications, Food Research International, 42: 1240 –
1253.
 AHMED M. YOUSSEF., 2013, Polymer Nanocomposites as a New
Trend for Packaging Applications, Polymer-Plastics Technology and
Engineering, 52: 635 - 660
 TANG, X. Z,. KUMAR, P., ALAVI, S..AND SANDEEP, K. P. , 2012,
Recent Advances in Biopolymers and Biopolymer-Based
Nanocomposites for Food Packaging Materials, Critical Reviews in Food
Science and Nutrition, 52: 426 – 442.
References
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References
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 ANDREA SORRENTINO, GIULIANA GORRASI AND
VITTORIA VITTORIA, 2007, Potential perspectives of bio-
nanocomposites for food packaging applications, Trends in Food Science
& Technology, 18: 84 – 95.
 PAUL, D.R., ROBESON, L.M., 2008, Polymer nanotechnology:
Nanocomposites, Science Direct, 49: 3187–3204.
 http://www.bccresearch.com/blog/report-archives/nanocomposites-
overview.html

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