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Barrier properties of nanoparticle-based polymer composites

Abstract:

Nanotechnology is a science that seeks to understand and produce nanomaterials and apply them to develop new products with different but enhanced properties in comparison to materials and functions that are not achievable at the macroscale level particularly to improve the barrier properties in polymeric composites, mainly for the use of these materials in food packaging. There has been growing interest in the development of such materials and attempts to use them for this purpose. Keeping these in mind, this chapter presents an overview of the preparation methods of nanomaterials, their classification, characteristics, and applications particularly in the development of polymer-based nanocomposites using different types of nanomaterials (particles, nanotubes, graphenes, nanoclays, nanocellulose, nanometals, nanoceramics, and nanochitosan) in improving barrier characteristics to O2, CO2, vapor water, liquid vapor, oil, grease, etc. The effect of these nanomaterials on various properties mentioned earlier in polymeric matrices is also addressed. The chapter ends with the perspectives for future studies on these materials based on the fact that the use of nanomaterials in polymeric matrices can result in heterogeneous composites with inadequate barrier properties, as some nanomaterials have physical-chemical characteristics that promote the aggregation of these nanoparticles, hence the need for further research to improve dispersion in the development of nanostructured composites. Similarly, the need for study on the use of more than one type of nanofiller taking into account that different types of nanomaterials have different barrier properties is for the development of a nanostructured composite impermeable to various substances.