Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/chitosan (CS)/montmorillonite (C30B) materials for food packaging applications were prepared by using a noninvasive and low-cost freeze/thawing method. Cloisite 30B nanoclay content in PVA/CS gels was varied in order to establish optimum amount to obtain improved properties. The structural, morphological, rheological aspects, thermal stability, and antimicrobial activity were investigated using various techniques as Fourier transform infrared, scanning electron microscopy, rheology, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, and antibacterial tests. It was noticed that the obtained materials show an intercalated structure with specific interactions between components and nanoclay incorporation led to an increased thermal stability, mechanical properties, and excellent antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella typhimurium due to synergistic action of CS and nanoclay.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.