The aim of the study was to characterize and compare films made of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), nano-fibrils (CNF), and bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) in combination with chitosan and alginate in terms of applicability for potential food packaging applications. In total, 25 different formulations were made and evaluated, and seven biopolymer films with the best mechanical performance (tensile strength, strain)—alginate, alginate with 5% CNC, chitosan, chitosan with 3% CNC, BNC with and without glycerol, and CNF with glycerol—were selected and investigated regarding morphology (SEM), density, contact angle, surface energy, water absorption, and oxygen and water barrier properties. Studies revealed that polysaccharide-based films with added CNC are the most suitable for packaging purposes, and better dispersing of nanocellulose in chitosan than in alginate was observed. Results showed an increase in hydrophobicity (increase of contact angle and reduced moisture absorption) of chitosan and alginate films with the addition of CNC, and chitosan with 3% CNC had the highest contact angle, 108 ± 2, and 15% lower moisture absorption compared to pure chitosan. Overall, the ability of nanocellulose additives to preserve the structure and function of chitosan and alginate materials in a humid environment was convincingly demonstrated. Barrier properties were improved by combining the biopolymers, and water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) was reduced by 15–45% and oxygen permeability (OTR) up to 45% by adding nanocellulose compared to single biopolymer formulations. It was concluded that with a good oxygen barrier, a water barrier that is comparable to PLA, and good mechanical properties, biopolymer films would be a good alternative to conventional plastic packaging used for ready-to-eat foods with short storage time.

This study investigated the effect of hemp fiber pretreatments (water and sodium hydroxide) combined with silane treatment, first on the fiber properties (microscale) and then on polylactide (PLA) composite properties (macroscale). At the microscale, Fourier transform infrared, thermogravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscopy investigations highlighted structural alterations in the fibers, with the removal of targeted components and rearrangement in the cell wall. These structural changes influenced unitary fiber properties. At the macroscale, both pretreatments increased the composites’ tensile properties, despite their negative impact on fiber performance. Additionally, silane treatment improved composite performance thanks to higher performance of the fibers themselves and improved fiber compatibility with the PLA matrix brought on by the silane couplings. PLA composites reinforced by 30 wt.% alkali and silane treated hemp fibers exhibited the highest tensile strength (62 MPa), flexural strength (113 MPa), and Young’s modulus (7.6 GPa). Overall, the paper demonstrates the applicability of locally grown, frost-retted hemp fibers for the development of bio-based composites with low density (1.13 to 1.23 g cm−3).

Cereal straw and bagasse are presently the leading non-wood plants used in production of paper, though many fast-growing perennial plants have been studied for their suitability for paper manufacturing, too. In the present study the use of Japanese knotweed, as one of the most invasive alien plant species in Slovenia, as alternative raw material for papermaking is demonstreted. Paper was made of 55% Japanese knotweed and sulfate cellulose produced from 60% eucalyptus and 40% conifer fiber. The paper with the basic weight of 90 g/m 2 was manufactured on the pilot paper machine at the Pulp and Paper Institute. Among printability characteristics paper brightness, colour, yellowness, roughness, air permeability, specular gloss, print penetration, picking, and print unevenness were determined. The preliminary research has shown, that Japanese knotweed, as a cheap local raw material, could be used in paper making industry, though the fiber processing and paper making process must be improved in order to obtain good printability.

Fountain solution induced mottling in offset printing manifests as non-homogenous printing area with optical variation has several influencing factors. One mechanism is that the fountain solution from the previous printing unit has no time to absorb into the coating before ink transfer or the ink cannot emulsify the water and stays on top of the ink surface as an additional hydrophilic layer. In paper coating development, the paper chemistry influences the surface chemistry features of the ink-paper coating interaction and can cause water repellency. Porosity and the absorbing capacity of paper and its coating is of great importance to avoid press related problems. In this paper, we have examined paper substrates which were reported to cause wet repellence mottling and tested their porosity ratio of micro and macro pores and their water/ink absorption properties. The micro macro porosity was determined by using easy and low-cost proprietary technique for the porosity ratio determination. We have measured ink stabilization values, penetration dynamics, wet repellence mottling and micro and macro porosity on paper samples printed with laboratory sheet-fed offset printing. We have found that the lower number of macropores and non-optimal micro and macropore distribution influenced the occurrence of water induced wet repellence and lowered the optical homogeneity of the samples.

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