Development of active packaging material based on cellulose acetate butyrate/polyethylene glycol/aryl ammonium cation modified clay

[Display omitted] •CAB/PEG/BMMT nanocomposite films were developed via solution mixing process.•XRD and TEM studies established the intercalated nature of nanocomposite films.•CAB/PEG/BMMT nanocomposite showed improved mechanical and thermal properties.•Water vapor permeability of nanocomposite films was reduced with loading of BMMT.•Nanocomposite films possessed antimicrobial activity against B. Subtilis &P. cepacia. Active packaging is one of the interesting concepts in food industry which extend the shelf-life of the food products. The purpose of this work was to develop nontoxic antimicrobial nanocomposite films. Benzyltrimethylammonium chloride modified montmorillonite (BMMT) were used as nano-filler and the prepared BMMT was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) plasticized cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) films with different ratios of PEG and CAB was prepared and it was found that the 20 wt% PEG in CAB matrix (CBP20) gave optimal results in terms of mechanical properties. BMMT was mixed with CBP20 in different proportions to prepare nanocomposites. 3 wt% BMMT loaded nanocomposite gave best in terms of the barrier and mechanical properties. The storage modulus, thermal stability, glass transition, and melting temperature of the nanocomposites increased with the loading of 1, 3, and 5 wt% of BMMT. Furthermore, these nanocomposites showed nontoxic and antimicrobial behavior.