Towards Green Plastic Packaging Systems: A Research

The development of biocomposite packaging systems with enhanced biodegradability is interested due to the increased environmental pollution by synthetic plastics. Practically it is also not much possible to develop totally biodegradable packaging systems. In this context, the chemical modification of synthetic polymers with biofillers that can enhance its biodegradability without sacrificing its properties is appreciated. This book is about an attempt to modify polyethylene by using a natural material chitosan. Chitosan have good film forming capacity, biocompatibility and antimicrobial features. Polyethylene is chemically linked to chitosan nanoparticles through maleic anhydride in this work. The properties such as mechanical, thermal, biodegradation, antimicrobial activity and hydrophilicity of the films have been given in detail. An effective comparison between chitosan and nanochitosan based films has been performed. This book will give masters and doctoral degree students inspiration for the development of innovative biocomposite systems. This will also give insight to polymer science and engineering practitioners for the development of better ecofriendly packaging films.