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

目前的研究旨在从槟榔纤维废料中开发一种绿色包装材料，以达到商业食品包装的价值。以 9、10 和 12% 的不同纤维浓度制备槟榔纤维的生物复合材料，并使用辣椒进行基于实用性的机械、物理、形态和可储存性测试。纤维含量为 10% 的复合材料表现出优异的强度特性，抗拉强度、抗压强度、弹性模量、纳米硬度和最小蠕变速率值分别为 1.59 MPa、426.23 MPa、2.032 GPa、99.729 MPa 和 37.02。它具有特有的弹塑性和应力应变行为，有利于储存和运输。除了优异的机械性能外，所选复合材料还表现出较低的水蒸气渗透率 4.635 × 10^-9  g/msPa，与纸板（目前用于辣椒的包装材料）相比，最小吸附容量为 51.01%。与纸板箱相比，储存在开发的槟榔纤维复合材料中的辣椒表现出显着更高的硬度值和降低的降解因子值。因此，可以得出结论，开发的复合材料具有所有优越性能，比用于储存和运输的纸板箱更实用。