Open Access

ARTICLE

Physicochemical and Mechanical Properties of Gelatin Reinforced with Nanocellulose and Montmorillonite

Mercedes Echegaray¹, Gurutz Mondragon¹, Loli Martin², Alba González³, Cristina Peña-Rodriguez¹, Aitor Arbelaiz^1*

1 Materials+Technologies Group, Engineering College of Gipuzkoa, Pza. Europa 1, 20018, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
2 Macrobehaviour-Mesostructure-Nanotechnology, General Research Service (SGIker), University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
3 Department of Polymer Science and Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Institute for Polymer Materials (POLYMAT), University of the Basque Country, P.O. Box 1072, 20080 San Sebastián, Spain

*Corresponding author:

Journal of Renewable Materials 2016, 4(3), 206-214. https://doi.org/10.7569/JRM.2016.634106

Abstract

Organic rodlike cellulose nanocrystals extracted from sisal fibers and inorganic montmorillonite based on silicate layers were employed to develop bionanocomposites based on gelatin matrix. Bionanocomposites with cellulose nanocrystal, montmorillonite and both nanoreinforcements combined were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. Tensile properties and oxygen and water vapor gas permeability values were determined to study the influence of the addition of nanoreinforcements, different in nature, to gelatin matrix. Bionanocomposites with montmorillonite improved tensile strength but systems reinforced with nanocellulose showed lower tensile strength than neat gelatin ones. Oxygen gas permeability values decreased for all bionanocomposites, especially for montmorillonite systems; however, after the incorporation of reinforcements water vapor permeability increased.

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Keywords

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