Development of sustainable food packaging material based on biodegradable polymer reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals

The increased environmental impact and sustainability issues related to conventional food packaging have gained attention and led to a global concern. The massive consumption of conventional food packaging has increased disposal of non-eco-friendly packaging waste, severely damaging the environment. The replacement by sustainable packaging is an important alternative to reduce the enormous volume of plastic waste. In this work, bionanocomposite films composed of PBAT/PLA blend and cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) extracted from agro-waste were investigated. Characterization of CNCs confirmed that nanocrystals were obtained. Bionanocomposite films presented better hydrophobic character and thermal stability than the blend film. In addition, the tensile strength, elongation at break, and Young's modulus was around 52%, 29%, and 118%, respectively, higher than blend films. These mechanical values were comparable to values of commercial plastic materials that are extensively used in food packaging. Thus, the prepared bionanocomposite films might be an interesting alternative to produce sustainable food packaging materials.