Preparation and properties of chitosan/guar gum/nanocrystalline cellulose nanocomposite films

Yanjun Tang; Xinqi Zhang; Ruonan Zhao; Daliang Guo; Junhua Zhang

doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2018.05.073

Preparation and properties of chitosan/guar gum/nanocrystalline cellulose nanocomposite films

Carbohydr Polym. 2018 Oct 1:197:128-136. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2018.05.073. Epub 2018 May 26.

Authors

Yanjun Tang¹, Xinqi Zhang², Ruonan Zhao², Daliang Guo², Junhua Zhang²

Affiliations

¹ National Engineering Laboratory of Textile Fiber Materials and Processing Technology, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018, China; Pulp and Paper Center, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018, China; Key Laboratory of Renewable Energy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510070, China. Electronic address: tangyj@zstu.edu.cn.
² National Engineering Laboratory of Textile Fiber Materials and Processing Technology, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018, China.

PMID: 30007597
DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2018.05.073

Abstract

Nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) has shown great potential for reinforcing nanocomposite systems, particularly in biopolymer-based nanocomposites. In the present work, transparent and biodegradable chitosan (CH)/guar gum (GG)/NCC nanocomposite films were designed and prepared. The effect of NCC loadings on the rheological behavior of the as-prepared nanocomposite suspensions was investigated, the overall properties of the resultant nanocomposite films as a function of various amounts of NCC were determined, and the surface morphology of various nanocomposite films was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results indicated that the increased NCC loadings increased the shear viscosity of the nanocomposite suspensions. Moreover, as expected, the obtained CH/GG/NCC nanocomposite films were found to exhibit improved tensile strength and reduced air permeability in comparison to pure CH/GG films. This work supported the conclusion that NCC was effective in reinforcing the CH/GG composite films, which may be a promising material for food packaging applications.

Keywords: Film-forming properties; Mechanical properties; Nanocomposite films; Nanocrystalline cellulose.