Influence of cellulose viscosity on the physical, mechanical, and barrier properties of the chitosan-based films

This research paper presents a comprehensive investigation into developing biodegradable films for food packaging applications using chitosan (CN) in conjunction with three distinct types of cellulose (CE), each characterized by varying viscosities. The primary objective was to assess the influence of cellulose viscosity on the physical, mechanical, and barrier properties of the resulting films. The medium-viscosity cellulose imparted numerous advantageous qualities to the biodegradable films. These films exhibited optimal thickness (31 μm), ensuring versatility in food packaging while maintaining favorable mechanical properties, blending strength, and flexibility. Also, medium-viscosity cellulose significantly improved the films' barrier performance, particularly regarding oxygen permeability [1.80 × 10−6 (g.mm.m−2. s−1)]. Furthermore, the medium-viscosity cellulose contributed to superior moisture-related properties, including reduced water vapor permeability [14.80 × 10−9 (g.mm.m−2. s−1. Pa−1)], moisture content (13.22 %), and water solubility (22.87 %), while maintaining an appropriate degree of swelling (41.88 %). Moreover, the study employed advanced analytical techniques, including FTIR, XRD, and TGA, to provide critical insights into the films' chemical, structural, and thermal aspects. This research underscored the importance of the viscosity of film formulation materials as a crucial element in designing and efficiently producing films for food packaging.