Preparation and characterization of Paraloid B-72/TiO2 nanocomposite and their effect on the properties of polylactic acid as strawberry coating agents

Abstract

In this study, Paraloid B-72 (poly methyl methacrlylate/ethylacrylate 70:30) and its nanocomposites with titanium dioxide (TiO<inf>2</inf>) concentration 1–5% have been prepared by emulsion polymerization technique and characterized by transmission electron microscope (TEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) in addition to antimicrobial activity against Aspergillus niger and Penicillium sp. The prepared Paraloid B-72 and its titanium dioxide nanocomposites was grafted onto polylactic acid (PLA) and the results indicate that the grafting percentage reached to maximum value using the nanocomposite of Paraloid B-72 with 3% TiO<inf>2</inf>. PLA grafted with Paraloid B-72/3% TiO<inf>2</inf> has been characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), FT-IR as well as mechanical and color change measurements. The results show that incorporation of Paraloid B-72 / TiO<inf>2</inf> improved the properties of PLA. The produced PLA grafted Paraloid B-72 and its 5% titanium dioxide have been used for coating strawberry to enhance and control the cold storage at 4°C for 15 days.