Composites out of Nanofibrillated Cellulose and Clay for barrier applications in packaging materials, 2010 TAPPI International Conference on Nanotechnology for the Forest Product Industry

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When cellulose is isolated out of plant cell walls as nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) with high specific surface area and high degree of crystallinity, it may contribute to improving tensile strength and impermeability properties of NFC-contained films [1, 2]. In addition, clay which is normally used as filler in composites can significantly improve the barrier properties, especially of polymer-layered silicates nanocomposites [3]. Plate-like silicate sheets of clay with high aspect ratio can hinder the penetration of small molecules into composites. The idea of combining NFC with clay was recently reported for the enhancement of mechanical (i.e., tensile strength and z-directional strength) and optical (i.e., gloss and opacity) properties in paper [4]. However, it is also feasible that this combination would open possibilities for the packaging industry to produce environmental-friendly barrier layers. Aluminium has been used commercially for a long time in packaging as it offers a perfect barrier against oxygen, vapour, light, etc. However, in some packaging applications, a perfect barrier is not needed. The aim of the study is therefore the development of a sustainable ClayNanoCellulose Composite with optimized barrier properties for food packaging applications.