Development and Characterization of Betel Nut Fiber Composite as a Food Packaging Material

ABSTRACT

The current study is aimed to develop a green packaging material out of betel nut fiber waste that holds up to the values of commercial food packaging. Biocomposites of betel nut fiber were prepared with varying fiber concentrations of 9, 10 and 12% and subjected to utility-based mechanical, physical, morphological and storability tests using chilies for storage. The composite with 10% fiber content exhibited superior strength features with tensile strength, compressive strength, elastic modulus, nanohardness and minimum creep rate values of 1.59 MPa, 426.23 MPa, 2.032 GPa, 99.729 MPa and 37.02, respectively. It possessed a characteristic elasto-plastic and stress-strain behavior, favorable for storage and transportation. Along with the superior mechanical properties, the selected composite manifested a lower water vapor permeability of 4.635 × 10⁻⁹ g/msPa and a minimal sorption capacity of 51.01% in comparison with cardboard sheets (currently used packaging material for chilies). Chilies stored in developed betel nut fiber composite exhibited a significantly higher value of firmness and reduced value of degradation factors as compared to that in cardboard boxes. Hence, it can be concluded that bearing all the superior properties, the developed composite is more functional than the cardboard cartons for storage and transportation.

摘要

本研究的目的是开发一种绿色包装材料的槟榔果纤维废料，保持价值的商业食品包装. 以不同浓度的9、10和12%的纤维为原料，制备了槟榔果纤维生物复合材料，并对其进行了以辣椒为储藏材料的机械、物理、形态和贮藏性能测试. 纤维含量10%的复合材料具有较好的强度特性，其抗拉强度、抗压强度、弹性模量、纳米硬度和最低蠕变速率值分别为1.59 MPa、426.23 MPa、2.032 GPa、99.729 MPa和37.02. 它具有典型的弹塑性和应力-应变特性，有利于储运. 与硬纸板(目前用于辣椒的包装材料)相比，所选复合材料的透气性较低，为4.635×10-9 g/msPa，最低吸收能力为51.01%. 与纸板箱相比，在开发的槟榔纤维复合材料中贮藏的辣椒硬度值明显较高，降解因子值明显降低. 因此，可以得出结论，所有优越的性能，开发的复合材料是更多功能比纸板纸箱的储存和运输.

KEYWORDS:

• Betel nut fiber
• biocomposite
• mechanical strength
• storage
• cardboard

关键词:

• 槟榔纤维
• 生物复合材料
• 机械强度
• 存储
• 纸板