Development and Characterization of PET/Fish Gelatin-Nanoclay Composite/LDPE Laminate

Abstract

A three-layer laminate film was developed with the following structure: polyethylene terephthalate (PET)/fish gelatin (FG)-nanoclay polyethylene (LDPE). The FG-nanoclay composite material functioned as the oxygen barrier layer and demonstrated comparable oxygen barrier properties when compared with a similar laminate utilizing ethylene vinyl alcohol as the barrier layer at a relative humidity (RH) of up to 50%. The introduction of nanometer-sized filler clay into the FG matrix lowered the oxygen permeability (OP) because of the tortuosity effect of the clay particles. In addition, the FG-nanoclay composite film exhibited bond strengths similar to both LDPE and PET. The hydrophilic nature of FG significantly increases OP under high (>50%) RH conditions. However, this new FG laminate film could be a possible alternative for packaging designers desiring a more sustainable packaging material for low-RH (<50%) applications. Copyright (C) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.