Bottom-up development of nanoimprinted PLLA composite films with enhanced antibacterial properties for smart packaging applications
Psochia, Eleni (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Department of Chemistry)
Papadopoulos, Lazaros (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Department of Chemistry)
Gkiliopoulos, Dimitris (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Department of Chemistry)
Francone, Achille (Institut Català de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia)
Grigora, Maria-Eirini (International Hellenic University. Digital Manufacturing and Materials Characterization Laboratory)
Tzetzis, Dimitrios (International Hellenic University. Digital Manufacturing and Materials Characterization Laboratory)
Vieira de Castro, Joana (University of Minho. Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics Research Group)
Neves, Nuno M. (University of Minho. Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics Research Group)
Triantafyllidis, Konstantinos (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Department of Chemistry)
Sotomayor Torres, Clivia M. (Institut Català de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia)
Kehagias, Nikolaos (Institut Català de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia)
Bikiaris, Dimitrios (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Department of Chemistry)

Date:	2021
Abstract:	In this work, polymer nanocomposite films based on poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) were reinforced with mesoporous silica nanoparticles, mesoporous cellular foam (MCF) and Santa Barbara amorphous-15 (SBA). PLLA is a biobased aliphatic polyester, that possesses excellent thermomechanical properties, and has already been commercialized for packaging applications. The aim was to utilize nanoparticles that have already been established as nanocarriers to enhance the mechanical and thermal properties of PLLA. Since the introduction of antibacterial properties has become an emerging trend in packaging applications, to achieve an effective antimicrobial activity, micro/nano 3D micropillars decorated with cone- and needle-shaped nanostructures were implemented on the surface of the films by means of thermal nanoimprint lithography (t-NIL), a novel and feasible fabrication technique with multiple industrial applications. The materials were characterized regarding their composition and crystallinity using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively, and their thermal properties using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Their mechanical properties were examined by the nanoindentation technique, while the films' antimicrobial activity against the bacteria Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus strains was tested in vitro. The results demonstrated the successful production of nanocomposite PLLA films, which exhibited improved mechanical and thermal properties compared to the pristine material, as well as notable antibacterial activity, setting new groundwork for the potential development of biobased smart packaging materials.
Grants:	European Commission 952941 Agencia Estatal de Investigación SEV-2017-0706
Note:	Altres ajuts: ICN2 is supported by the CERCA Program/Generalitat de Catalunya.
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Poly(L-lactic acid) ; Biobased polymers ; Mesoporous silica ; Nanocomposite films ; Nanoimprint lithography ; Antibacterial properties ; Smart packaging
Published in:	Macromol, Vol. 1, issue 1 (March 2021) , p. 49-63, ISSN 2673-6209

DOI: 10.3390/macromol1010005

15 p, 3.2 MB

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Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Experimental sciences > Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2)
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles