Interface interactions driven antioxidant properties in olive leaf extract/cellulose nanocrystals/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) biomaterials
Journal article, 2024

Functional packaging represents a new frontier for research on food packaging materials. In this context, adding antioxidant properties to packaging films is of interest. In this study, poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) and olive leaf extract (OLE) have been melt-compounded to obtain novel biomaterials suitable for applications which would benefit from the antioxidant activity. The effect of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) on the PBAT/OLE system was investigated, considering the interface interactions between PBAT/OLE and OLE/CNC. The biomaterials' physical and antioxidant properties were characterized. Morphological analysis corroborates the full miscibility between OLE and PBAT and that OLE favours CNC dispersion into the polymer matrix. Tensile tests show a stable plasticizer effect of OLE for a month in line with good interface PBAT/OLE interactions. Simulant food tests indicate a delay of OLE release from the 20 wt% OLE-based materials. Antioxidant activity tests prove the antioxidant effect of OLE depending on the released polyphenols, prolonged in the system at 20 wt% of OLE. Fluorescence spectroscopy demonstrates the nature of the non-covalent PBAT/OLE interphase interactions in π-π stacking bonds. The presence of CNC in the biomaterials leads to strong hydrogen bonding interactions between CNC and OLE, accelerating OLE released from the PBAT matrix.

Fluorescence spectroscopy

Oleuropein

Cellulose nanocrystals

Agricultural waste

Biodegradable packaging

Author

Giuseppa Anna De Cristofaro

University of Sannio

Marina Paolucci

University of Sannio

Daniela Pappalardo

University of Sannio

Caterina Pagliarulo

University of Sannio

Valentina Sessini

University of Alcalá

Giada Lo Re

Wallenberg Wood Science Center (WWSC)

Chalmers, Industrial and Materials Science, Engineering Materials

International Journal of Biological Macromolecules

0141-8130 (ISSN) 18790003 (eISSN)

Vol. 272 132509

Subject Categories

Polymer Chemistry

Physical Chemistry

Textile, Rubber and Polymeric Materials

Driving Forces

Sustainable development

DOI

10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.132509

PubMed

38843608

More information

Latest update

6/20/2024