Processing of Polypropylene-Montmorillonite-Silver Nanocomposites as Food Packaging Bactericide Material
Oliani Washington Luiz (1)*, Parra Duclerc Fernandes (1), Lima Luis Filipe Carvalho Pedroso (1), Fermino Danilo Marin (2), Diaz Francisco Rolando Valenzuela (2), Lincopan Nilton (3), Santos Priscila Martins (4), Lugao Ademar Benevolo (5)
(1) Nuclear and Energy Research Institute-IPEN - São Paulo - Brazil, (2) Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering - EPUSP - São Paulo - Brazil, (3) Department of Microbiology and Biomedical Sciences - USP - São Paulo - Brazil, (4) Department of Microbiology and Biomedical Sciences - USP - São Paulo - Brazil, (5) Nuclear and Energy Research Institute - IPEN - São Paulo - Brazil
The aim this study was to use nanocomposites of polypropylene (PP), montmorillonite (MMT) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), prepared by melt intercalation in a twin-screw extruder, as a food packaging bactericide material. The use of nanoclays and nanosilver as additives for polymer matrices requires, in some cases (with non-polar matrices) the use of a compatibilizer agent which will act as a bridge or permanent buffer for nanoclay-nanosilver-matrix interaction [1,2]. As a compatibilizer agent it has been used a propylene graft maleic anhydride copolymer (PP-g-MA) [3]. The nanocomposites were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and reduction colony-forming unit (CFU). The results indicate the formation of microstructures predominantly exfoliated.
Keywords: polypropylene, nanocomposites, nanoclay, silver nanoparticles
References
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