Structural and mechanical properties of clay nanocomposite foams based on cellulose for the food-packaging industry

In this work, an extensive study was carried out on the preparation and characterization of nanoclay biocomposites based on cellulose to substitute for synthetic polymer foam trays as food-packaging materials. The preparation stage was performed via a dissolution/regeneration route followed by drying with lyophilization. The chemical, physical, mechanical, and morphological properties of the prepared composite foams were characterized by several methods, including scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, mechanical tests, density, and color analyses. The obtained results indicate that the presence of nanoclay in the cellulose matrix caused more uniformity in the structure of the foams. Also, an increase in the nanoclay content resulted in a higher density, compressive strength, and Young's modulus. The achievements from this study suggest that the prepared cellulose nanocomposite foam could be a potential alternative to commercial synthetic foams for packing food products. (C) 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.